Farmers Movement Archive

Madhya Pradesh farmers gear up for Kisan andolan, 2,000 already in Delhi

BHOPAL: Farmers in Madhya Pradesh are gearing up for the December 14 protest in support of the 'kisan andolan' in Delhi. Activists of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) were busy mobilizing the farmers for Monday’s showdown. “We will hold chakka jams and submit memoranda,” the kisan unions said on Sunday. Meanwhile, Shivkumar Sharma alias Kakka ji, one of the farmers' leaders negotiating with the Centre, criticized chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for “lying'' that farmers of MP were happy with the new farm laws. To a question on why the farmers were not visible on the streets across Madhya Pradesh to protest on the issue, Kakka ji said, "the protest was planned for Delhi". He said that across the state, farmers’ unions protested many times in the last 15 days and have submitted memorandum. There are over 2,000 farmers from Madhya Pradesh holding fort on the Delhi-Agra road. “There are over 540 tractor trollies which were used to reach the place in the last week of November. They have created a jam since November 28," he said. In the districts of Badwani and Burhanpur, thousands of farmers have been holding protests under the banner of Jagrut Adivasi Mazdoor Sangathan. They are demanding minimum support price (MSP) as per the Swaminathan Commission formula. A former leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), an RSS affiliate who had locked Bhopal with a massive kisan andolan against the Shivraj government leading to Kakka ji’s ouster from the BKS, said that the MP government lies when it says the farmers are happy . “We only exhorted the farmers living in the districts of Gwalior-Chambal region to reach for the chakka jam on Delhi-Agra road,” he said, adding, "now there are no trains or buses available for travelling. Even motorbikes are also being checked to eliminate the chance of some farmer reaching Delhi." Ahead of Monday's protests, Triveni Dutt Tripathi, state president of the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh, said that the farmers were ready for the protest. “We will take out peaceful rallies against the agriculture laws.” Anil Yadav of BKU said, "Our indefinite agitation is continuing and we will hold rallies on Monday.“

The Times of India

2020-12-14

Bhopal