Farmers Movement Archive

Don’t believe in rumours, Rajewal writes to farmers

BATHINDA: After a flurry of social media posts spreading rumours about the January 26 plan of farm protesters, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rajewal faction president Balbir Singh Rajewal has written an open letter to farmers in Punjabi saying the exact outline for the Republic Day would be declared next week but all should ensure that the agitation remains peaceful. Rajewal, who is one of farm leaders negotiating with the Union government on the issue of the three contentious agriculture marketing laws, was prompted to write the latter because of the rumourmongering on the social media. Some posts urge protesters to fix iron plates in front of their tractors to break barricades, while some claim they will unfurl flags on Red Fort. The Union government representatives had already stated in the Supreme Court that some Khalistani elements had infiltrated the protest as banned organisations like the Sikhs For Justice was providing money. In his letter, Rajewal claimed struggle now was not only limited to farmers or to Punjab and Haryana but it has turned into a ‘Jan Andolan’ in right earnest and spread to Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other parts of the country. It has attracted attention in many countries. This could be possible as the struggle being well-managed and completely peaceful, he added. He said farmer organisations had already chalked out various plans for coming days as ‘Mahila Kisan Diwas’ was to be observed on January 18, Guru Gobind Singh Parkash Purb on January 20, and Neta Ji Subash Chandra Bose birth anniversary on January 23. Lots of rumours were being spread about farmers heading towards the Red Fort or the Parliament House but nothing like this was going to happen, he said, adding that their motive was peaceful struggle for their rights. “These rumours have pained us as we feel some government agencies are behind this and taking benefit of the various posts to defame the protest,” he alleged. “We urge people not to go by these rumours but reach Delhi borders in large numbers on January 26. The action plan for January 26 will be declared next week,” he added. When contacted, Rajewal said, “I have written the open letter going by various things going on to defame and derail the completely peaceful protest. I also wanted to warn anyone from whichever side not to indulge in anything which is against the interests of the peaceful and one of the historic struggles.”

The Times of India

2021-01-15

Chandigarh