Farmers criticise govt’s move to ban mandi sale for farmers burning stubble

Two days after the Haryana government ordered that the farmers burning paddy residue won’t be allowed to sell their crops in the mandis during the next two seasons, farmer groups and opposition parties on Saturday criticised the move and termed it “dictatorial”.
The agriculture department had on Thursday, asked its deputy directors of agriculture (DDAs) to mark a red entry in Meri Fasal Mera Byora’s (MFMB) record of farmers who are found involved in stubble burning.
They were also asked to ensure that an FIR is registered against all farmers who burn or have burnt the paddy crop residue during the current season since September 15. The field units implemented the order on Friday.
As per the department, a total of 15 cases of stubble burning were reported on Saturday with a maximum of six in Kaithal, taking the total count to 642 this season.
Following the directive, various farmer unions like the Tikait, Sir Chotu Ram and Shaheed Bhagat Singh, factions of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), in the northern Haryana belt hit out at the government.
Rattan Mann, state president of BKU Tikait, said, “Though farmers should not burn paddy residue as it harms the environment that belongs to all, on the other hand, the government should also focus on providing more equipment rather than taking away the MSP right of farmers. There is no doubt that Haryana has much improved in stubble management but government has to help the small farmers.”
Similarly, Bahadur Mehla, spokesperson of the Sir Chotu Ram faction termed the decision as a “tughlaqi farman” against the peasants’ community and warned the government to take it back.
“Instead of fulfilling his promise of purchasing paddy at ₹3,100, chief minister Nayab Saini aims to keep farmers deprived of the MSP through the order. Saini government is exploiting the farmers just like the previous Khattar government,” he added.
Moving a step ahead, the Shaheed Bhagat Singh faction has decided to submit memorandums to district officials demanding its rollback. Amarjeet Mohri, president of the faction said that the activists of the union will submit memorandums in the name of chief minister at their districts and tehsils.
Surjewala criticises the move
Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala also criticised the move and termed it “anti-farmer”.
“This is a direct anti-farmer conspiracy of the BJP government led by Nayab Singh Saini because farmers did not vote for the BJP in Haryana. Is this not a direct conspiracy to abolish MSP through the backdoor?” he asked.
AAP’s Haryana state president Sushil Gupta also asked the state government to improve its mechanism in stubble management, so that more and more equipment reaches the farmers and Delhi is saved from choking pollution.