Farmers paralyse Delhi over sugarcane prices

Thousands of sugarcane farmers from across north India laid siege on New Delhi on Thursday, protesting against the Centre’s new sugarcane pricing policy.

Carrying sugarcane stems, they paralysed key roads in central Delhi as they marched from Ramlila Grounds to Jantar Mantar, the 17th century observatory that has become a demonstration hotspot.

The protest was organised by Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Mahendra Singh Tikait’s Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan. At Jantar Mantar, RLD chief Ajit Singh said, “Farmers should have been cutting crops right now and preparing to sow the next one. But the government’s faulty policies and high-handedness have forced farmers to come here to protest.”

Many farmers threatened violent protests if the government did not accept their demands. “The price fixed by the government for sugar is not justified. If we don’t get the right price, we will make sure no grain reaches Delhi and block all vehicles carrying milk, vegetables and grains,” said a farmer from UP.

SP general secretary Amar Singh said, “The Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) can be set for industry barons but not for poor farmers. The faulty system is a major cause of farmer suicides.” He also took a dig at Rahul Gandhi saying, “Instead of sleeping in the houses of the poor, Rahul should see the root cause of their problem.” Former Union minister for rural development, the RJD’s Raghuvansh Prasad, said, “The ordinance was anti-farmer.”  The BKU’s Mahendra Singh Tikait said, “Sugarcane prices should be raised to over Rs280 a quintal.”