SAD chief condemns arrest of rice sheller owners in Punjab’s Mansa

Chandigarh (ANI): He said it was unfortunate that despite heavy fines being imposed on rice shellers, the government has not yet woken up to the seriousness of the issue. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today condemned the arrest of rice sheller owners in Mansa, saying Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should take up their case for resolution with the Center instead of suppressing their protest.
He also asked the SAD cadre to reach out to grain markets across the state to force the state government to ensure offtake of paddy and resume procurement. “I will also visit mandis to show solidarity with the farmers. Rice mill owners cannot be made victims for the failure of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to resolve their grievances.”
In a statement, the SAD president said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is directly responsible for the jams in grain markets and creating obstacles in the way of smooth procurement of paddy.
“Today’s repression and arrests of rice sheller owners in Mansa and Maur is highly condemnable. This “puppet” CM Bhagwant Mann has failed to resolve the grievances of the mill owners and is now adopting arbitrary methods against them. Farmers are also suffering the consequences of this. There is a jam in the markets for the last 10 days and the purchase of paddy has stopped. I urge the Akali Dal leadership to reach out to the grain markets to force the AAP government to lift paddy and resume procurement. I will also visit mandis to show solidarity with the farmers.” A post on X.
“It has been more than a week since rice sheller owners have stopped work due to the failure of the AAP government to reach any resolution on the use of micronutrients used to strengthen rice. The rice mills have made it clear that they are purchasing the micronutrients which are used to fortify rice from approved sources.”

He said it was unfortunate that despite heavy fines being imposed on rice shellers, the government had not yet woken up to the seriousness of the issue.
Meanwhile, Mr. Badal also stressed that the state government should immediately raise the issue of relaxation in moisture content of paddy with the Centre. He said that due to rain during the last two days, the moisture content of paddy has increased and farmers should not be penalized for this.
Earlier, the SAD president also said that the AAP government turned a blind eye to the suffering of farmers when their paddy crops were destroyed due to heavy rains and floods.
He said, “Farmers have not been compensated yet. Now the crops they have brought to the markets are getting spoiled due to rain. Now they are being harassed as no purchase has been made for more than a week.” Said. (ANI)