Tarun Chugh questions Punjab law and order, says safety of police personnel raises serious concerns Seeks impartial probe into purported police advisory; asks government to register FIR if document is fake Chandigarh 23 September ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : BJP National Office In-Charge and MP Tarun Chugh raised serious questions over the security of police personnel and the law and order situation in Punjab under the Bhagwant Mann government. He said the recent killing of ASI Harjit Singh in Amritsar while returning from PCR duty has raised serious concerns about the safety of those responsible for protecting citizens. Media reports said Harjit Singh was posted with the Police Control Room under Gate Hakima police station and was shot by motorcycle-borne assailants in Amritsar. Chugh said that a series of attacks on police establishments and other sensitive locations in Punjab has added to concerns over security. The Punjab DGP stated in September 2026 that 43 terror attacks had been...
Government's move to cut paddy procurement quota by 25% is a betrayal of farmers : Gurmeet Singh Mahima
Government's move to cut paddy procurement quota by 25% is a betrayal of farmers : Gurmeet Singh Mahima
Chandigarh 23 September ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Gurmeet Singh Mahima, State General Secretary of the Krantikari Kisan Union Punjab, issued a statement to the press revealing that the Punjab government's procurement agencies (Markfed, PUNSUP, Pungrain, and Punjab Warehousing) have verbally informed the Arhtiya Association of Fazilka district that the government procurement quota for paddy has been reduced by 25% this season. While government agencies previously procured 100% of the paddy at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), only 75% will be procured now. Farmers will be compelled to sell the remaining 25% of their paddy to private traders at rates ₹400–₹500 lower than the MSP (₹2,389). This will result in a loss of up to ₹10,000 per trolley for farmers in Fazilka. We strongly condemn this decision.
The government claims there is no space in the warehouses, but why should farmers bear the brunt of this lack of space? 10.5 million tonnes of last year's rice is still rotting in the warehouses; this reflects the government's incompetence. The government must arrange for warehouse space to store the paddy. A farmer leader stated that ongoing meetings regarding Free Trade Agreements are taking place in Delhi, and countries like the US are pressuring the Indian government to implement WTO policies—specifically regarding agriculture—by demanding the discontinuation of MSP (Minimum Support Price) for 23 crops, the closure of government-run markets and state procurement systems, and the withdrawal of agricultural subsidies in favor of an open market regime. By taking this step toward implementing an open market, the government is inflicting a severe blow on Punjab's farming sector; the already debt-ridden farming community will be unable to withstand the impact of this assault.
The decision to cut the quota by 25% must be withdrawn immediately.
100% procurement of paddy at MSP must be ensured across Punjab, including Fazilka district.
Procurement agencies must provide a written explanation regarding the reason for the quota reduction.
If the government does not withdraw this decision, the Krantikari Kisan Union will shut down all grain markets in Fazilka and lay siege to the Deputy Commissioner's (DC) office.
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