Karnal: Farmers on Saturday stopped the operation of a toll plaza in the Bastara area of Karnal Haryana in protest to demand to increase the wheat prices. The farmers said that the yield of wheat has decreased, so a bonus of Rs 500 should be given to them. They had given an ultimatum to keep all Haryana toll tax free from 10 am to 1 pm.
The protest came over the call by farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni who had called upon all the farmers through social media that all toll plazas would be closed for 3 hours from 10 am to 1 pm today. Farmers say that they have suffered losses in wheat crop this year and the government hasn't assessed the losses.
The farmers also demand free travel for people living within a 15 km radius of the toll plaza and employees should not be recruited from outside the state for the functioning of the toll plaza, but local youth should be given employment. The farmers said that this was only a symbolic protest and if the government does not listen, then in the coming days, they will organize a big demonstration against the government in the entire state under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union.
After the demonstration, a memorandum to the Chief Minister will also be submitted by the farmers through the District Magistrate.
Also read: Toll collection on NH 44 hit hard by farmers' protest
