The protesting farmers said they were expecting some outcome from a meeting of the Sugarcane Control Board that was to be convened by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today in Chandigarh.
The report of cancellation of the meeting and a tweet by the CM has reportedly irked farmers who threatened to block the railway tracks adjacent to the dharna site near Dhannowali village.
The CM tweeted, “I urge farm unions not to turn common people against you by blocking roads on every issue. If you want to discuss any issue with the government, the right place is not the road but Punjab Bhawan, Secretariat, office of the Agriculture Minister, CM’s office and home. If you maintain this attitude, the day is not far when you will not find public support.”
Manjit Singh Rai, president, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Doaba), who is leading the protest, said, “We are feeling betrayed. All senior officers from the police and district administration had assured us that the CM will take a favourable decision in the meeting today, but nothing happened.”
“On top of it, we got this tweet from the CM. We will wait for a government response till tomorrow morning, failing which we will block railway tracks,” he said.
Speaking on low number of protesters today, he said the SKM leaders were away for a meeting to Chandigarh. “We were expecting a positive outcome from the meeting of the Sugarcane Control Board. As nothing has happened, they will join us tomorrow.”
