Farmers worst sufferers in Akali-BJP rule: Amarinder

Congress workers led by Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh today staged a protest against the alleged non-payment of Rs 250 crore of dues to sugarcane farmers in the state.
While addressing the gathering, Singh appealed to farmers not to resort to desperate measures like suicide and wait for seven more months, promising that if Congress comes to power in 2017 assembly polls in Punjab, it will settle all their debts.
"When Congress forms government in Punjab we will bring in a law which will save the indebted farmers' assets from being confiscated," he said.
Expressing concern over the rising number of suicides by farmers, the former Punjab CM said all of these were not reported as most of the suicide cases were going unnoticed.

Blaming the ruling Akali-BJP alliance for the current crisis in the farming, the sitting Amritsar MP said, while it had "failed" all the sections, the farmers were the worst sufferers.
Today's dharna was part of a series of protest planned by Punjab Congress.

Amarinder served an ultimatum to the government to release the sugarcane farmers' dues immediately failing which the Congress party will launch a statewide agitation.
On SYL (Sutlej Yamuna Link) issue, he accused Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of playing politics.
Meanwhile, the protest witnessed an ugly scene when Congress MLA from Dera Baba Nanak Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa allegedly slapped another Congress leader in full public view at dharna site.

Party's local Sewa Dal President I S Gulati alleged that he was slapped by Randhawa when he requested him that he be allowed to sit in front seats of the stage, which had been set up at the protest site.
"He (Randhawa) told me you sit behind and then heated exchange of words took place after which he slapped me," Gulati alleged.
The video footage showing Randhawa slapping Gulati also went viral.
Gulati further alleged that he along with his women supporters were also manhandled by Congress workers.
The incident took place before the arrival of Amarinder at the dharna site.