Delhi CM Kejriwal urges nation to go on a day’s hunger strike
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Delhi CM Kejriwal urges nation to go on a day’s hunger strike
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Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and people across the country to observe a day’s fast on Monday to show solidarity with groups of protesting farmers, who too will go on a hunger strike on that day.Kejriwal also urged the Central government to roll back the three contentious farm laws – which have triggered the protests — that were passed by the Parliament in September, and demanded a new Bill to ensure minimum support prices (MSP) for farmers be drafted at the earliest.Delhi-Jaipur highway partially opened amid farmers’ protest“I request all party (AAP) supporters and people across the country to observe fast for a day tomorrow (Monday) in solidarity with protesting farmers. I shall be observing a day’s fast too… Let’s support our farmers from our homes. I understand that it is not possible for many of us to be physically present at the (state) border points where the protesting farmer groups have gathered,” said the chief minister, in a video press briefing on Sunday.Key farmer leader favours talks, says ‘goalposts shifted’He further said, “In the last few days, I have seen several ministers and BJP leaders calling the protesting farmers anti-national. I have a question for them: So many ex-servicemen, sports persons, artistes, doctors, lawyers, businessmen have been supporting the protests in some way or other – are they all anti-national? During the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement in 2011, the Congress had done similar things to bring disrepute to the movement. The BJP is doing the same thing now.”Sanitation crisis amid Covid? Civic body leaders seek funds from Delhi govt“Some people claim that only few farmers from Punjab and Haryana are at the protest. It is their misconception…The new laws make hoarding legal. It will lead to inflation… I urge the Central government to leave behind their ego, roll back the three laws and prepare a new bill to ensure minimum support price for farmers,” said Kejriwal.Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, however, dismissed Kejriwal’s allegations.BJP leader Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, who is also the leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, said: “These are all baseless allegations. Which minister has ever said anything demeaning about farmers? Instead of doing such cheap politics, Arvind Kejriwal should focus on helping farmers in Delhi who are distressed because of road tax on tractors, high power bill charged on irrigation lines, no subsidies and not being able to get MSP on crops.”Mudit Agarwal, vice-president of Delhi Congress, said: “Arvind Kejriwal is twisting facts. He should first explain why his government notified one of the contentious laws, while the AAP is claiming to be in support of farmers. At one point, he wanted farmers to gather in Burari ground – much in lines with the plans of the BJP. As far as the Anna Hazare movement is concerned, it was Kejriwal who took support of the RSS politically. What happened to the Jan Lokpal Bill for Delhi? On the ongoing farmer’s issue, the Congress stands with the farmers of India. We demand that the three laws be repealed.”Earlier in the day, the Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi convener Gopal Rai had said that several supporters of the party too would participate in a hunger strike in solidarity with farmers and stage peaceful demonstrations across Delhi.
Publisher
Hindustan Times
Date
14-12-2020
Coverage
Delhi