Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers to step up stir, plan sit-in across country today

Farmers will hold sit-in protests at all district headquarters in the country and some of their leaders will go on a hunger strike from 8am to 5pm on Monday, representatives of several farm unions said on Sunday as they planned to escalate their agitation against new agriculture laws, with thousands of more farmers having begun their journey to the Capital from villages in Rajasthan.Earlier, the farmers blocked the Jaipur-Delhi highway at Shahjahanpur in Rajasthan, while police in Haryana, which falls along the way, halted large groups from proceeding to Delhi, raising the likelihood of more access routes to the national capital being blocked.The farmers’ protests, which began with a large group from Punjab that has now camped at the Singhu border, began 17 days ago and have evolved into a larger political controversy, with the members from the ruling government blaming opposition parties for the confrontation.Chila border: Delhi-Noida road reopened after farmers clear outOn Sunday, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Som Parkash met Union home minister Amit Shah along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders from Punjab. It is not clear what was discussed at the meeting. Later in the day, Tomar, while meeting a delegation of farmers from Uttarakhand, said the backlash against the new laws was being created by “people who just oppose and weaken the country”.Opposition leaders reiterated their support for the farmers and called on the government to heed to their demands. “I want to appeal to the central government to put an end to their ego. The governments are formed by the public, the public is not formed by the governments. The three farm laws should be immediately repealed and a bill should be brought to guarantee MSP to farmers,” said Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.At Delhi’s Singhu border, where the largest of the gatherings of the protesters has camped, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni and other union heads held a press conference and said they will observe a one-day hunger strike between 8 am to 5pm on Monday as part of a plan to intensify their agitation. “Also dharnas will be staged at all district headquarters across the country. The protest will go on as usual,” he told reporters.Farmers to fast for a day, gathering at Singhu swellsThe leader also spoke about certain other farmer union members who appeared to break ranks with the protesting groups. “There are groups that are ending protest and saying they are in favour of laws passed by the government. We want to clarify that they are not associated with us. They have been hand-in-glove with the government; they conspired to sabotage our protest. The government is hatching a conspiracy to derail the ongoing farmers’ protest,” added Chaduni.Farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka said: “Government agencies have been stopping farmers from reaching Delhi, but the protest will continue till their demands are met. Our stand is clear; we want the three farm laws repealed. All farmer unions participating in this movement are together.”‘Opposition trying to destabilize nation through farmers’ stir’: Yogi AdityanathAnother farmer leader, Rakesh Tikait, said: “If the government gives another proposal for talks, our committee will decide on it. We appeal to all to maintain peace during protest.”Including the one at Singhu, seven border points in the national capital continue to remain closed. The farmers’ rebellion was set off by three laws pushed by the government in September that allow agribusinesses to trade with minimal regulation, permit traders to stockpile large quantities of food commodities for economies of scale and lay down new contract farming rules.The government has proposed to amend some provisions for greater oversight but farm unions say they won’t call off their agitation until the laws are fully repealed.Ludhiana as cold as Shimla, undeterred farmers march onFollowing a prolonged stand-off after talks failed last week, the farmers plan to intensify their movement in the coming period. Amid the ongoing demonstration, farmers protesting near Jaisinghpur Kheda area in Rewari at the Rajasthan-Haryana border are waiting for more farmers to arrive, for their march towards Delhi.“Today more people and unions are coming from Rajasthan at the border area. After gathering the crowd, we will move towards Delhi. Among other things, we want the three laws to be repealed. We are standing with the farmers of Punjab and Haryana. We don’t have any separate demands. We are with our union leaders,” said Banwari Lal from Jaipur, who is convener of the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasabha.

Hindustan Times

14-12-2020

India