Congress activists and members of Arhtiya Association today staged a two-hour dharna outside local market committee office on Hoshiarpur road to protest against the inordinate delay in paddy payment.
Led jointly by PPCC executive member Balbir Raja Sodhi and local Arhtiya Association (commission agents) President T D Sharma, the protesters raised slogans against Punjab government.
They alleged that earlier paddy growers were given a lower price of paddy but now they were not even being paid.
They alleged that farmers were facing an acute financial crisis due to which they were unable to purchase seeds and other inputs for the next crop.
Sultanpur Lodhi MLA and Congress's state Chief Whip Navtej Singh Cheema, who also took part in the dharna, flayed Badal government for wasting crores on political rallies under the garb of 'sadbhavna rallies' while the farmers were running from pillar to post for getting their dues.
"First paddy growers were forced for distress sale and now they are being denied payments by a government that boasted of being the champions of farmers," Cheema added.
Protesters submitted a memorandum to market committee authorities for forwarding it to Punjab Mandi Board Chairman Ajmer Singh Lakhowal.
