Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers observe ‘Black day’ to mark six months of protest at Delhi borders

Farmers protesting at Delhi’s borders marked six months of their agitation on Wednesday by observing a “Black Day” and burning effigies of the government, and once again demanding that the Centre repeal the three farm laws promulgated in September 2020. The farmers also celebrated Buddha Poornima at the protest sites at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri on Wednesday.While black flags were hoisted across tents and trolleys at the protest sites, farmers’ collective Samyukta Kisan Morcha said people from several villages and cities also shared pictures of black flags hoisted atop houses as well as pictures of them attired in black, in a symbolic show of support to the agitation at the Delhi borders.Thousands of farmers have been camping at Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri, since November to press the government into repealing the new laws, which they say will erode their bargaining power, weaken a system of assured prices, and leave them vulnerable to exploitation by big agri businesses.“From across India, visuals have arrived of farmers and their supporters expressing solidarity with the protesting farmers, and anger against the BJP government. Lakhs of Indians responded to the call put out by SKM and wore black clothes, hoisted black flags atop their homes and vehicles, and assembled in small groups to burn effigies of the BJP government,” SKM said in a statement.“We had arranged for black flags and they got delivered on Tuesday. We carried the effigies around, raising slogans, before burning them,” said Tejvir Singh, a farmer from Ambala district in Punjab. “More people are expected to join us on Thursday and in the coming days as the harvesting season is now over.”The continuous rain in the Capital last week, and the deadly second wave of the pandemic since March, have led to a thinning of the numbers at the protest sites. But, the farmers said they will continue the agitation till their demands are met.“Even though the farmer agitation has had to continue for six long months, with farmers suffering many hardships including the martyrdom of more than 470 farmers so far, we are prepared to continue (with the protest) for however long it takes; the determination and resolve of farmers remain strong and firm,” the farmer leaders said in a joint press statement on Wednesday.Experts had warned that such a gathering could turn into a super spreader event, particularly at a time when cases have been receding in the Capital after a devastating few weeks and a hard lockdown.But SKM said they were taking several steps to arrest the spread of the virus at protest sites. “We put up the sound system [loudspeakers] closer to trolleys so that farmers would not have to come towards the stage to listen to speeches. We invited doctors to speak on stage and educate the farmers on precautions, symptoms and Covid-appropriate behaviour,” ’SKM media coordinator Harinder Singh had said.

Hindustan Times

27-05-2021

Delhi