Sri Muktsar Sahib (Punjab) [India]: In a show of solidarity with Punjab’s farmers, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and Member of Parliament from Ludhiana, visited the mandi in Bharu in Gidderbaha, where he spent the night with the farmers whose crops have been left rotting as they await government procurement.
Sharing a meal with farmers, many of whom have been at the mandi for over 20 days, Warring condemned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, for forcing farmers to endure such unjust conditions.
“This Diwali, while the rest of the country celebrated in lights, our farmers sat in darkness, forced into a black Diwali by the Punjab government’s disregard for their well-being. The government has left the lifeblood of our state–the farmer–to suffer without support or action. We are here in full force to ensure their voices echo through the halls of power,” said Warring, highlighting the contrast between festive celebrations and the dire situation faced by Punjab’s food providers.
The farmers expressed their frustration, explaining, “We have been here for the past 20-25 days. Our produce is being ruined, the grain is picking moisture and is getting destroyed. All our hard work for the season is being put to waste, and we are not being given our rightful money which we deserve for having grown paddy. The government advised certain varieties of paddy which we grew, but still, our voices are not being heard, and the government is not working for the farmers. Rather, it is working against the farmers of Punjab and against the state of Punjab as a whole.”
During his visit, the PPCC Chief interacted with Avtar Singh, who has been in the mandi for the past six to seven days, Kewal Singh, waiting over 10 days, and Jagjit Singh, who has endured 20 days of delays. Expressing their frustration, the farmers explained how they had increased basmati cultivation based on last year’s higher prices, only to be met with crushing silence from the government.
“Last year, they encouraged basmati, but today, they’ve turned away, leaving us to face the consequences alone,” one farmer told Warring.
The PPCC Chief accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of using underhanded tactics to weaken Punjab’s agricultural backbone.
“While the BJP once tried to destroy us openly with three black farm laws, this AAP government is attacking farmers in a new, covert manner. By delaying procurement, they are destroying the livelihoods of farmers and labourers alike, pushing Punjab’s economy to the brink while they waste public funds on empty advertisements and election campaigns in other states,” Warring said.
Warring emphasized that the government’s actions are not only failing farmers but are effectively dismantling the very foundation of Punjab’s agricultural economy.
“It is our right that our produce be procured timely and fairly. Yet, the government seems determined to crush Punjab’s agriculture by stalling, hoping that our crops rot in the mandi,” he stated.
With an urgent call for action, Warring warned that the entire Punjab Congress stands ready to launch widespread protests if the Mann-led administration continues its neglect.
“The Punjab Congress will stand with our farmers on every front. If this government does not immediately address the crisis, ensure swift procurement, and stop the disregard of our farmers’ rights, we will take to the streets. The silence from Bhagwant Mann’s government is intolerable, and we will not rest until justice is served for our farmers,” he said.