Farmers Movement Archive

Farm leaders slam Khattar for blaming their agitation for spread of Covid

Farm leaders have condemned Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar for his statement that farmers’ protest turned a few villages into Covid-19 hotspots in state.In a video message, BKU Haryana president Gurnam Singh Charuni slammed Khattar for blaming farmers’ agitation for spread of Covid and said that the virus is killing people due to “mismanagement and poor facilities provided by the government”.“Earlier also, the government had taken steps to end the agitation but failed. Now they are blaming farmers’ agitation to hide their own failure to contain the virus,” he added.“This is propaganda of the BJP government to suppress the agitation but the stir will continue till the government accepts their demands to withdraw the Centre’s three farm laws which allow private players in procurement of agriculture produce,” he said.Charuni blamed people from NCR districts who work in Delhi, Gurugram and Faridabad and travel home regularly for the virus spread in villages.“Farmers cannot be blamed for spread of Covid as not even a single farmer was found infected so far at Delhi borders,” he added.Charuni, who is member of Sanyukta Kisan Morcha which has been leading the agitation at Delhi borders since November last year, has urged farmers to continue their support to the protest.Ratan Mann, Haryana president of BKU (Tikait), said spread of the virus is due to failure of the government which has failed to provide even basic health and medical facilities to people.“The protesting farmers are following all Covid norms. The CM’s allegations are false and will not help government to end our agitation,” he added.Meanwhile, Yamunanagar farmers affiliated to BKU (Charuni) and other farm unions burnt effigies of Khattar and state education minister Kanwar Pal at Milk Majra toll plaza on Jagadhari road.They said the government wants to hide its mismanagement in tackling the Covid situation by blaming farmers.BKU district president Sanju Gudiyana said the ruling party leaders organised public rallies in poll-bound states when there was spike in cases but are now blaming farmers for spread of Covid.“They can’t even provide medical oxygen and medicines to patients and want us to be held accountable for the crisis,” the leader said.FARMERS REFUSING TO GET TESTED: VIJState health minister Anil Vij said that due rise in cases in rural areas, the department has made arrangements to screen every villager.He said villagers are cooperating with the teams, but not the farmers.“Farmers are not getting themselves tested. We have sent many health teams to the protest sites and a meeting took place between farm leaders and officials, but the farmers refused to get tested,” Vij said.He added that at a vaccination camp, just 1,900 farmers got the jab in the last 10 days.

Hindustan Times

14-05-2021

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