Chandigarh, Sep 2: Thousands of farmers and farm labourers, belonging to the Bharti Kisan Union-BKU (Ugrahan) and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a group of 37 unions, on Monday, camped here to protest the failure of the Punjab's AAP government in implementing the agriculture policy.

Farmers belonging to the BKU (Ugrahan) will march towards the Punjab Legislative Assembly, which is assembling on Monday for the three-day long monsoon session, to lodge their protest.

However, farmers belonging to the SKM, who also gathered along with the BKU (Ugrahan) at the protest site at Sector 34 ground, the city’s hub, will hold a ‘mahapanchayat’ (farmers' convention) later in the day.

Under the banner of the BKU (Ugrahan) and the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, the protesters have been allowed to stage a protest at the camping site. As per their plan, the farmers are expected to camp here till September 5, the day they decide their future course of action.

Besides the implementation of the agriculture policy, the demands of the BKU (Ugrahan) include delay in land distribution to landless labourers and farmers and debt waiver of farmers and labourers.

Contractual employees’ unions will also be joining these rallies. A faction of the Democratic Teachers’ Front will also join to support the “Kheti Niti Morcha” (agriculture policy).

However, the SKM, among other demands, has been demanding fair distribution of canal water across Punjab and the resumption of trade with Pakistan through the Wagah and Hussainiwala borders.

“We have been demanding promotion of chemical-free crops, compensation to the families of farmers who committed suicide, and curbing the drugs problem in the state,” Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union general secretary Lachhman Singh Sewewala told the media.

BKU (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said the farmers would march towards the Vidhan Sabha to hand over a memorandum of their demands to the Chief Minister and Opposition leaders.

The Chandigarh Police have issued a traffic advisory asking people to avoid certain routes as they will face traffic jams throughout the day on roads leading to Sector 34, the protest site, a hub of coaching institutes and a few private hospitals, besides the Regional Passport Office.

--IANS

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