Punjab farmers to hold protest across 17 districts on June 8 over urea shortage, land acquisition

PTC News Desk: Farmer organisations in Punjab are set to stage large-scale protests and effigy-burning demonstrations against the Central and Punjab governments on June 8.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the decision was taken during a meeting of the All India Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) in Gwalior, where it was resolved to organise protests against the government across the country.

According to Pandher, demonstrations will be held in several states, including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. He claimed that information regarding effigy-burning programmes has already been received from nearly 17 districts in Punjab alone.

Pandher said the fertiliser shortage is not confined to any one state but has emerged as a nationwide crisis. According to him, international developments and disruptions in global supply chains have affected fertiliser availability, creating significant difficulties for farmers.

He also criticised the recent increase in diesel prices, saying it has added to the financial burden on farmers. Despite a decline in global crude oil prices, petrol and diesel rates have not been reduced in India, he said, contributing to rising inflation and higher farming costs.

The farmer leader also raised concerns over land acquisition, alleging that farmers' land is being forcibly acquired in states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana under projects including the Bharatmala Project and other development schemes.

Referring to the India-US trade agreement and recent policy decisions, Pandher claimed they were detrimental to farmers' interests. He warned that if governments fail to address these issues, farmers and labourers would intensify their agitation.

He appealed to farmers across the country to participate in large numbers in the June 8 protests and strengthen the movement.