Punjab farmers extend rail block till Oct 12, CM invites them for talks on Monday

Punjab News Express
CHANDIGARH: The farmer organisations holding rail block agitation for the last four days to seek compensation for damaged cotton crop have extended their agitation for two days, till Monday (October 12). Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has cllaed the farmer bodies for talks on Monday at 4.30 PM.

The farmers of Malwa region are protesting against supply of spurious pesticides which failed to prevent attack of whitefly on cotton crop. The 50 percent of crop has damaged and so far 14 farmers have committed suicides. The railways has suffered a loss of Rs.10 crore during the first three days of farmer agitation.

SAD-BJP government in Punjab is under attack by farmers and opposition parties due to pesticide scam that ruined the crops in Malwa region. The opposition has blamed Agriculture Minister Tota Singh for the scam but Chief Minister is defending him. Badal said atack of whitefly was natural calamity not a manmade crisis. Contrary to his statement in the Vidhan Sabha, Chief Minister has ordered to order an inquiry and arrest Director Agriculture Mangal Singh Sandhu. The Director has blamed the Minister and certain officials in the CM office for the pesticide scam.