Farmers Movement Archive

Gurugram to Noida, farmers echo same sentiment

GHAZIABAD/GURUGRAM/NOIDA: Farmers’ outfits camping at Delhi’s borders and on highways since the last week of November said only a repeal of the three new farming laws brought by the Centre would convince them to go home after the Supreme Court on Tuesday put the implementation of the laws on hold. At UP Gate on the Ghazipur border, where the Bharatiya Kisan Union’s Tikait group is leading the agitation, its leader Rakesh Tikait the farmers’ core committee would meet to decide the next course of action but rejected the idea of the protesters shifting to any other place. “Farmers are not going anywhere till the time the three laws are repealed. Why should we shift to Ramlila ground or any other place? Repeal the laws and we will go back home,” Tikait said. Tikait expressed disappointment about the members of the Supreme Court-appointed committee for discussions, saying all of them have been advocates of the open market system and the current legislations. “We have objections to the members who have been selected in the committee formed by the court. How can farmers have faith in individuals who have given their recommendations in favour of the three laws?” Tikait said, adding preparations would continue for the spectacle planned on Republic Day. At the protest sites, it was business as usual as reservations about the committee dampened the sense of achievement after the laws were put on hold. Jagat Singh Rathi (78), a farmer from Jangethi village in Meerut, said, “The Supreme Court is speaking in favour of us, but I’m not going anywhere. Even in the village, I will have to face the cold while working in the fields.” Jangethi had joined the UP Gate protest the day it began. The BKU factions protesting in Noida – BKU-Bhanu and BKU-Lokshakti, which have both moved the Supreme Court against the farming laws – said they wouldn’t budge from the protest sites at the Chilla border and Dalit Prerna Sthal. “Some members of the committee have already backed the farm laws. The laws should simply be repealed and the Swaminathan report recommendations should be implemented,” said Yogesh Pratap Singh, state president of BKU-Bhanu. Shyoraj Singh, national president of BKU-Lokshakti, said the court’s order was a victory for farmers and the outfit was ready to talk to the committee. The protest, he added, would continue. Referring to Delhi Police’s plea in the SC against the proposed tractor rally on Republic Day, stating that the march was slated to “disturb and disrupt” the parade as well as create a law and order situation, thereby causing embarrassment to the nation, the protesters asked if using water cannons on farmers and digging roads to stop them wasn’t national embarrassment as well. Swaraj India founder Yogendra Yadav, who is spearheading the protest at Jaisinghpur Khera, said, “Staying the implementation of the three laws is not our demand. Our demand is for the laws to be completely repealed.”

The Times of India

2021-01-13

Gurgaon