Amritsar: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has criticised the move of private sugar mills denying to pay Rs. 310 per quintal for sugarcane growers as advised by state advisory committee. The party accused Capt. Amarinder Singh of playing in the hands of sugarcane mill mafia just as the Badals did during previous govt.
In a joint press statement issued from party headquarters, AAP candidates from Amritsar and Hoshiarpur Kuldeep Singh Dhlaiwal and Dr. Ravjot Singh respectively and Gurdaspur district president Sherry Kalsi said that on one hand there are lakhs of sugarcane growers and other are half a dozen mill owners so it will be interesting to see if Capt. Amarinder would stand with the farmers of state of save the skin of sugarcane mafia.
Farmers Protest Outside Sugar Mills in Panjab
Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that the denial of sugar mill owners to pay extra Rs. 35 per quintal as directed by sugarcane control board is condemnable and shows the inability of Capt. govt to tackle the issues of farmers of state.
Dr. Ravjot Singh demanded from the govt. that state owned co-operative sugar mills must be given aid and assistance to work properly so that the monopoly of private mill owners can be broken. He said that it is now an acid test for Capt. Amarinder Singh if he can fulfil the promise made with the farmers of state before elections.
Sherry Kalsi said that if the govt. fails to implement the recommendations of Sugarcane control board then there is no point continuing the board and spend crores of rupees on it.
Terming dharna staged by Akali Dal as crocodile’s tears, AAP leaders said that the same SAD had not paid money to the sugarcane growers when was in power. They warned that if the govt. bow down and fails to pay the full rate of sugarcane then AAP will protest against it. AAP leaders said that the people of state knows about the political connections of sugar mill owners with Akali and Congress leaders and AAP will expose the politicians patronising the sugar mafia in state.