Agitating farmers set paddy afire
| Date :20-Feb-2020 |
The Hitavada State Bureau Surajpur/Raipur,
Agitated over the development, farmers in village Silfili, Surajpur district, dumped paddy on the road and set it on afire. Massive resentment is brewing among farmers as the paddy procurement drive has come to total standstill before February 20, when the procurement drive was suppose to end, in several parts of State due to lack of sacks. Meanwhile, during one such demonstration by farmers on similar issue on Tuesday evening at Keshkal National Highway, several farmers were subjected to lathi charge by the police. As soon as the police got the news that farmers are demonstrating by dumping paddy on road and subsequently setting it on fire, Surajpur police rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the farmers.
The police and district administration officials tried to assure the agitating farmers that State Government is committed towards paddy procurement and their paddy will also be procured. They also assured that action will be taken against the concerned Manager of Primary Cooperative Society. Getting information about the incident, office-bearers from opposition parties also rushed to the support of farmers. However, the police managed to calm down the agitation through their assurance. Earlier, when the farmers came to sell their paddy in the primary cooperative society, the concerned society manager refused to procure the paddy from farmers despite their possessing the necessary token for selling paddy.
The manager stated that he has order from his senior officials not to procure fresh stock of paddy. The farmers were making round of the procurement centre since last three days but the manager of the Silfili paddy procurement centre was not ready to purchase paddy from the farmers, alleged the agitating farmers. On Wednesday again when the farmers were not allowed to sell paddy, the agitated farmers dumped their paddy on the road and started agitation. As the district administration came to know about the development they rushed a tehsildar on the spot and was successful in stopping the agitation through assurances and paddy procurement was commenced thereafter. When media persons asked the society management about the incident they stated that every grain produced by the farmers will be procured. Silfili village is the same village where farmers had earlier dumped tomatoes and vegetables on the road in 2017-18 due to low prices of crops.