Farmers Movement Archive

State Congress top brass to attend 80km tractor rally in Santhal Pargana tomorrow

Ranchi: Congress on Friday said its senior state leadership will attend and spearhead the planned 80-km-long tractor rally from Deoghar to Godda in Santhal Pargana on January 31. “Our state president Rameshwar Oraon and Congress legislative party leader Alamgir Alam will attend the tractor rally in Santhal Pargana,” party spokesperson Rakesh Sinha told TOI. On Thursday, state agriculture minister and Jarmundi MLA Badal Patralekh had announced that the party will organize a 80-km-long tractor rally, which will commence from Deoghar’s Shaheed Chowk and culminate at Kargil Chowk in Godda. “At Kargil Chowk, there will be a massive Hul in support of the farmers’ agitation against new farm laws,” Patralekh had said. Poreiyahat MLA Pradeep Yadav, who joined Congress last year, has been made the convenor of the rally. “We are expecting a massive turnout of farmers on Sunday. Besides the tractor rally, there will also be a foot march,” Sinha said. Yadav’s phone remained switched off when TOI tried contacting him. Congress sources in Ranchi said formal invitations have been sent to like-minded parties for joining Sunday’s rally. Invitations have been sent to JMM, RJD, Left parties and civil society groups for the same, the sources added. JMM remained silent on its participation in the rally. Earlier, its working president and chief minister Hemant Soren had supported the ongoing agitation in national capital. However, the party is yet to hit the streets in support of the farmers. Meanwhile, Left parties on Friday said they have geared up for Saturday’s dharna in Ranchi. After paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Morhabadi, the participants would then march to Raj Bhawan and hold a dharna in support of the farmers’ agitation. CPM state secretariat member Prakash Viplav said, “Left parties, including CPM, CPI, CPI (M-L) and the Marxist Coordination Committee, will take part in the dharna at Raj Bhawan. As part of our agitation, we will inform people about the conspiracy to defame the farmers’ agitation in Delhi.” He added, “A memorandum comprising our demand for withdrawal of farm laws would be submitted to the governor Droupadi Murmu.”

The Times of India

2021-01-30

Ranchi