Farmers Movement Archive

Ranchi: Protesters beat drums to ‘drown’ Mann Ki Baat

RANCHI: Various trade unions, farmers’ organisations and political parties, including CPM, on Sunday beat utensils, drums and clapped in Albert Ekka Chowk here in protest against the Centre’s farm laws and a symbolic gesture to prevent people from listening to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Besides political parties and other organisations, several artistes, including painters, recited poems and drew sketches, in support of the farmers agitating near the Delhi border. Organisations like Kisan Sabha, All India Trade Union Congress, All India Students Federation and All India Students’ Association also took part in the protest. CPM state secretariat member Prakash Viplav said, “We shouted slogans like ‘had enough of Mann Ki Baat, now we want kaam ki baat’.” He also said since the farmers’ agitation is gaining momentum, the BJP leaders have become frustrated and now Modi is trying to handle the situation by “spreading lies” like how the Kerala government has “failed” to provide minimum support price (MSP) to its farmers. “Modi seemed unaware that Kerala is the only state in India which paid its farmers according to the rates fixed by the Swaminathan Committee, which is higher than the MSP,” Viplav said. Protests were also organised by trade unions, youths’ and women’s organizations in other parts of Ranchi and across several district headquarters in Jharkhand, Viplav said. Meanwhile, members of the Jharkhand Rajya Kisan Sabha (JRKS) staged a dharna in front of former deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahto’s house in Silli to oppose the farm laws. JRKS vice-president Sufal Mahato said a memorandum highlighting their demands has been submitted to Sudesh. He added, “Sudesh told us that Jharkhand should implement a purchase policy along the lines of the one in Kerala. He also told us that a special session of the assembly should be convened to discuss the farm laws.”

The Times of India

2020-12-28

Ranchi