Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers leave no stone unturned to make July 27 protest success

Bathinda: To make the big protest planned for July 27, to show the central government their displeasure at the three ordinances, farmers are leaving no stone unturned. Hundreds of activists of 13 farm organisations are out in the villages to mobilise farmers for the proposed tractor marches towards the homes of Shiromano Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs and MLAs. The burning of effigies and dhol (drum beating) marches are being undertaken in villages ahead of the protest on Monday. They have rejected the assurances of SAD president Sukhbir Badal that he would take farmers to Union agriculture minister. To prove his support, farmers insisted Sukhbir must protest or hold morcha against ordinances. The farmers state that the ordinances are anti-farmer, as they fear that the regime of the minimum support price (MSP) will be taken away after the ordinances. Earlier, two farm organisations, BKU Rajewal and BKU Lakhowal, with am Aadmi Party held tractor marches on July 20 and another farm organisation kisan sangharsh committee held tractor protests on July 21. Apart from three ordinances, the farmers are also opposing the proposed electricity amendment bill and regular hike in petroleum prices. The farm organisations claimed that opposing these anti farmer ordinances is matter of survival for them. BKU Ugrahan general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri said, with the three amendments, generations of farmers will be affected. “The Union government is playing double game by making claims of doubling farm income but in reality, it wants to cause immense loss to farmers,” he added. Kirti kisan union vice-president Rajinder Singh said the Union government through these ordinances wants to abolish MSP regime, which will not be tolerated. Krantiokari kisan union convener Darshan Pal said. “We want these amendments to be withdrawn. The farmers also want the proposed electricity amendment bill to be withdrawn immediately and prices of diesel should be decreased.”

The Times of India

2020-07-26

Chandigarh