Farmers Movement Archive

Permanent shelters come up at Delhi border as farm leaders warn they won’t budge

The Kisan Social Army, a group backing the farmers’ agitation against the three farm laws, has constructed permanent shelters at the Tikri border in Delhi as union leaders said protests will continue at the borders of the national capital for the rest of the NDA government's tenure."These houses are strong and permanent just like the will of the farmers. So far, 25 houses have been built," Anil Malik of Kisan Social Army was quoted as saying by news agency ANI on Saturday. Close to 1,000-2,000 similar houses will be built in the coming days, Malik told ANI.One of the key farm leaders, Narendra Tikait, said on Thursday farmers are ready to stay put on Delhi’s borders to protest against three agricultural laws for the remaining three and half years of the Modi government's second term and the stir cannot be "culled" any which way the Centre tries. "This government has a misconception, probably because it never faced such kind of protest, but we have seen agitations and been part of those for 35 years. This government only has an experience of facing smaller protests and of getting those culled through various tactics," he told PTI.Farmers, hailing from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points, including Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur, since November 28 last year, demanding a complete repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops. The Centre has denied allegations that it was trying to put an end to MSP and the mandi systems.The government, which held 11 rounds of formal talks with protesting unions before the negotiations completely broke down, has maintained that the laws are pro-farmers. It has emphasised that the protests by farmers must be seen in the context of India's democratic ethos and polity even as the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said that some vested interest groups have tried to mobilise international support against the country. The remarks from the MEA came as a push back after several foreign leaders extended support to the farmers’ protest or questioned the government’s handling of the snowballing demonstrations.The MEA has maintained most of the remarks on the internal matter of the country didn’t reflect India’s democratic ethos or the government’s outreach to the farmers."Before rushing to comment on such matters, we would urge that the facts be ascertained, and a proper understanding of the issues at hand be undertaken," the MEA said in a statement last month after comments by celebrities, including pop icon Rihanna, on the protests.

Hindustan Times

13-03-2021

India