Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers firm on conducting Republic Day tractor parade

Farmer unions protesting against the three contentious farm laws on Sunday said they would go ahead with their tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day. Leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a joint front of the unions, said the parade would be “peaceful”, and no disruptions would be caused to the official ceremony. The Supreme Court is slated to hear a petition by the Centre on Monday to injunct protesters from holding the parade to “disrupt” the Republic Day celebrations. Saying that “soldiers were mere farmers in uniform”, Swaraj India national president Yogendra Yadav said at a press conference that farmers too would celebrate Republic Day. Mr. Yadav said as per the pre-announced programme, the parade would be held on the 50-km Outer Ring Road. He added that weapons, provocative speeches and violence would not be allowed, and there would not be any attempts to attack or lay siege to buildings and places of national and historic importance. Mr. Yadav said all tractors would carry the national flag and the flags of the unions. He added that similar tractor parades would be held at the district headquarters and the State capitals across the country. All-India Kisan Sabha general-secretary Hannan Mollah said the purpose of the parade was to highlight the plight of the farmers. Earlier in the day, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the government expected the unions to come up with a proposal other than the revocation of the laws as the court had stayed the implementation of the laws. Darshan Pal, president, Krantikari Kisan Union, Punjab, alleged that the National Investigation Agency was harassing those taking part in the agitation or supporting it.He said the Morcha condemned this and was determined to fight.

The Hindu

2021-01-18

New Delhi