Not playing politics over crop growers' woes: Pb farmers'

The protesting farmer outfits in Punjab today lashed out at ruling SAD for accusing them of "playing politics" over crop growers' woes, stating their protest was to press the Centre and the state government to bail them out of the present agrarian crisis.
"Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has accused us of playing politics for vested interests. We want to ask them what are our vested interests in holding protests and agitations. We are not a political outfit. We are just fighting in support of the farmers who are facing crisis at the moment in the state," BKU (Ugrahan) chief, Joginder Singh Ugrahan said.

"Basmati farmers are not getting remunerative prices for their crop. Cotton growers whose yield has been damaged by pest attack are not being adequately compensated for the loss. Sugarcane growers are not getting their dues from private mills," he said.
Had farmers' issues been addressed properly by the state government, there would not have been any need to agitate, Ugrahan said.
"But the state government has miserably failed in it," he added.
BKU (Dakunda) General Secretary Jagmohan Singh said that SAD has stooped to a new low by raising false allegations against farmer outfits.
The farmers organisations' decision to block rail traffic in the state on October 7 and 8 came under sharp criticism from the ruling party which had yesterday asked them not to "play politics" over crop growers' woes.

The party has even accused the outfits, particularly the BKU Ekta and Ugrahan of trying to "sow discord" in the peasantry for their vested interests.