Karnal, April 4 -- A delegation of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) (Charuni) led by its chief Gurnam Singh Charuni, met chief minister Nayab Singh Saini in Chandigarh late Thursday, and argued that the Indis-US trade deal would pose a grave crisis for small farmers and will increase control by multinational corporations over agriculture. The delegation also demanded a CBI probe into last year's "multi-crore paddy procurement scam" and abolition of the biometric gate pass system which was introduced by the Haryana government in the new procurement guidelines this year. They also demanded Rs.150 per quintal bonus on wheat due to crop damage. Union's spokesperson Rakesh Bains said that regarding the India-US deal, the CM assured that farmers' interests would be safeguarded and the situation would be clarified through a dialogue with the Union government. "The CM said that farmers will not be allowed to face any difficulties, arrangements in the markets will be streamlined, and staff will be deployed in two shifts during the ongoing wheat purchase.," he said. htc...