Farmers agitation getting violent, says Haryana Minister

Amidst the anger for postponing the procurement of paddy in Punjab and Haryana by the Central government, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Saturday said the agitation of farmers is getting violent day by day.

"The violent movement in the country of Mahatma Gandhi won't be allowed. The leaders of farmers should keep patience during the agitation," Vij said in a tweet.

The Centre on Friday said, delaying the paddy procurement, which was supposed to have started on October 1 from Punjab and Haryana to October 11, is in the "overall interest of farmers and consumers as well because of the untimely rains, maturity of paddy grains is delayed".

As per Indian Meteorological Department data, rainfall during September 2021 is 77 per cent and 139 per cent above normal in Punjab and Haryana, respectively, a release from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said.

Punjab and Haryana witnessed widespread protest and anger over the delay in the procurement.

A day earlier even Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and requested him to take back the decision to postpone the paddy procurement by 10 days.

As a protest, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal accompanied a trolley filled with paddy to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) head office here to get the moisture content of the food grain checked.

Talking to the media, Badal said the postponement in paddy procurement would spell doom for the state's economy.

"Farmers had planned in advance and had started harvesting their crop since the last few days. Paddy had also reached 'mandis' in the state. Postponing procurement will not only result in harassment of farmers but will also jeopardize the paddy crop in case of inclement weather," he said - IANS