*Govt refuses to give into concession demands*Deputy CM says demands unjustified*Balbir Singh Rajewal sits on hunger strike

Even as the farmers from across the state on Monday launched an indefinite agitation to mount pressure on the state government to accept their demands  for a financial package to farmers and waiver of electricity bills¿ the Punjab government refused to accept any of them.

Hundreds of farmers from across the state descended in Mohali under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union, led by Balbir Singh Rajewal. From the district, they marched towards Chandigarh and were stopped at the Chandigarh-Mohali border. Rajewal has, meanwhile announced, he would sit on an indefinite hunger strike till the demands of the agitating farmers are met.

The farmers, on a call given by Rajewal, started assembling at Gurdwara Amb Sahib in Phase VIII in Mohali from where they marched towards Chandigarh around noon after performing ardas. The agitating farmers, who earlier raised anti-Punjab government slogans, were again denied entry to Chandigarh and on being intercepted from marching ahead though in a totally peaceful manner, the farmers squatted on Mohali-Chandigarh border on Sector 51-52 dividing road.

The Chandigarh Police had deployed forces at all entry points to the city. Around 500 policemen were present at the Sector 51-52 dividing road. The farmers, who were stopped at the entry point, made no attempts to force their way in. Rather, they walked up to the border and reaching the barricades that had been set up sat down on dharna.

The leaders then addressed the gathering asking the farmers to spread the message in every village and every home of the alleged atrocities by the government.

Addressing the gathering Rajewal said the Punjab government is not distributing the Rs 800 crore package it received from the Centre. "The government did not even reveal that the grant has been received by it in March. It is only after we showed all the relevant letters to the Punjab Chief Minister that he agreed that the grant has been received. This shows the dishonesty of the government. People do not expect the government to betray them or keep them in the dark. However, this is what the Punjab government did," he said. He said the government received the grant only after the efforts of the members of BKU. "The farmers had to spend a lot for growing paddy last year due to the shortage of water. A lot of money was spent on using borewells to ensure that the fields were well watered. The Minimum Support Price offered did not cover the costs. Thereafter we had raised the issue at the Centre," he said.

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