Farmers Movement Archive

Sponsored by Congress, says BKU (Bhanu) chief on unions protesting farm laws

Thakur Bhanu Pratap, whose Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) was one of several farmers’ unions protesting against the three contentious central farm laws in Delhi, but withdrew from the stir after violence on January 26, on Monday alleged that other farmers’ organisations protesting at the capital’s borders were ‘Congress sponsored.’Violence had broken out on Jan. 26 after a section of protesting farmers diverted from the route agreed upon between the farmers’ leaders and Delhi Police for ‘kisan tractor parade,’ and clashed with the force in the national capital. Some protesters later entered the iconic Red Fort and unfurled a Sikh religious flag there.“Till Jan. 26, we were supporting them but then we found out that all these organisations at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders were Congress-sponsored. When they attacked police and hoisted another flag at Red Fort, we withdrew our support and came back,” Bhanu Pratap, who withdrew from the stir on January 27, said, according to news agency ANI.#WATCH 26 जनवरी को हमें मालूम पड़ा था कि जितने भी संगठन सिंघु बॉर्डर, गाज़ीपुर बॉर्डर, टिकरी बॉर्डर पर आंदोलन कर रहे थे। ये सब कांग्रेस के खरीदे हुए और कांग्रेस के भेजे हुए संगठन थे। कांग्रेस इनको फंडिंग कर रही थी: भारतीय किसान यूनियन (भानु) के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष भानु प्रताप सिंह pic.twitter.com/lEivlJe1G3“We'll talk to the Centre for a solution and tell them to form a farmers' committee which will advise on MSP (Minimum Support Price). So far demands are not meant as those sent by others want to delay it by four-five years. This can be only terrorists' words and not of Indian farmers," he further said.We'll talk to the Centre for a solution & tell them to form a farmers' committee which will advise on MSP. So far demands are not met as those who've been sent by others want to delay it for 4-5 years. This can only be terrorists' words & not of Indian farmers: BKU (Bhanu) chief pic.twitter.com/JGTo8PYyT1The BKU (Bhanu) was protesting at Chilla, which is Delhi’s border with the satellite town of Noida in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh. Its participation in the agitation lasted 58 days.Also Read | Fissures in BKU Bhanu over withdrawal from farmers protestFarmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting at Singhu and Tikri, which are Delhi’s borders with Haryana. Farmers from Uttar Pradesh, under the leadership of Rakesh Tikait, are camped at Ghazipur, the state’s border with Delhi. The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of various farmers' organisations, is leading the protests, which have been going on since November 26 last year.Total 11 rounds of talks have failed to break the deadlock between the Union government and farmers, with the last round taking place on Jan. 22. Farmers’ unions have now formed teams to go to poll-bound West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, to urge voters to not vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has a government at the Centre. Also, with summer on the horizon, farmers have started building permanent structures at the borders for their accommodation.

Hindustan Times

15-03-2021

India