Sugarcane growers stage rally at Bagaha, Champaran bandh evokes mixed response

Speed Post News Network

Bagaha : The call for Champaran bandh on December 27, 2018, jointly given  by the CPI (ML), Progressive Sugarcane Farmers’ Front, and Sugarcane Growers’ Association, evoked mixed response in West Champaran district on. The call for bandh was given over the issue of payment of arrear of sugarcane price to the farmers, which is due for the last 52 days in the sugarcane crushing season. A large number of sugarcane growers staged a rally at Bagaha in support of their demands.

Six sugarcane factories out of eleven established in West Champaran and East Champaran districts, have not paid a single paise to the sugarcane growers bringing their economic activities to a halt. The bandh supporters were protesting delay in the announcement of sugarcane price by the state government for the current crushing season.

CPI(ML) Central Committee Member Birendra Gupta, Chhotey Srivastava, and Nandesh Pandey, all leaders of sugarcane growers, alleged that Nitish Kumar Government had cheated the farmers by giving an additional Rs 10 per quintal to sugar factories as additional subsidy which should have actually been given to sugarcane growers. They alleged a secret deal between the state government and the sugar factories in gthis connection. NH 727 was also blocked for an hour near Bettiah district headquarters, according CPI (ML) leader Birendra Gupta.