Congress MLAs protest in support of sugarcane farmers in Uttarakhand

The Congress MLAs of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly, who came with sugarcanes, were stopped entering the house on the second day of the winter session on Tuesday by the security personnel.

The legislators were carrying sugarcanes as a mark to protest against the alleged sufferings of the sugarcane farmers and to raise the issue in the house. They have wrangled with the security personnel at the gate and were allowed entry only after leaving the sugarcanes outside.

The issue of farmers under Rule 58 was supposed to be discussed in the House today. The Congress legislators said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government is ignoring the sugarcane farmers. The MLAs accused the government of not determining the support price resulting in nonpayment of the dues to the sugarcane farmers.

Speaking to , Congress legislator Qazi Muhammad Nizamuddin said, "The payment of Rs 175 crore is outstanding to sugar mills. We want the government to determine the price of sugarcane in accordance with inflation. The chief minister has been saying that he made the payment of sugarcanes. But the complete payment has not been made yet. The Cane Act says if the payment is not made within 15 days, there is a provision of interest payable to farmers. This is also not happening. We will raise the issue in the House. We were entering with sugarcanes, not with machine guns. Police have stopped us at the gate. Is the government scared with sugarcanes?"

The winter session of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly started on Monday.

( With inputs from ANI )