Farmers gherao Pb Agri Minister's home over various demands

Farmers from different outfits today gheraoed the private residence of Punjab Agriculture Minister Tota Singh here as part of their three-day agitation at Moga and Amritsar to press for their demands which include appropriate compensation for crop damage.
The farmers gheraoed the residence of the agriculture minister located on GT road here for three hours. However, their agitation was peaceful, police said.
Addressing the protesting farmers BKU (Ekta) General Secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri said their peaceful agitation would continue till November 6.
"If the demands were not accepted then all the eight farmers unions and four Khet Mazdoor unions leaders would meet on November 7 here to give final touches to their another mode of agitation," he said.

The farmers are demanding compensation of Rs 40,000 per acre for cotton crop damaged by white fly attack, Rs 20,000 per acre in damagers to farm labourers, Rs 5 lakh to families of farmers who committed suicide.
Their demands also include Rs 5,000 per quintal for basmati Minimum Support Price and employment to family members of farmers who had committed suicide in view of failed crops.