Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers continue stir at Haryana-Rajasthan border

Farmers from various states protesting against the new farm laws continued to block a stretch of Delhi-Jaipur national highway at Shahjahanpur in Alwar district on Tuesday for the third consecutive day. Farmers’ groups said that they would continue their stir at the Jaisinghpur-Khera border till the Haryana Police allows them to proceed to Delhi. Sanjay Madhav, the state convener of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee in Rajasthan, said that farmers from both Rajasthan and Haryana, besides other states, were joining the stir in large numbers. “The numbers are multiplying on a daily basis. Farmers from Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have been joining us on a daily basis. They are reaching here in tractors and trolleys and the numbers will continue to increase in the coming days,” said Madhav. He said that farmers from Sri Ganganagar and Hanumangarh in Rajasthan had also arrived at the stir with tractors and trolleys on Tuesday while civil society members and lawyers had also extended support. “For the next few days, our plan is to continue with demonstrations while allowing more farmers to join us. We have been camping here day and night, and won’t relent till the three laws are rolled back,” said Madhav.Farmers across the country have been protesting against the three newly enacted farm laws — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 — passed by Parliament during the monsoon session. The farmers fear that the new laws will put them at the mercy of large corporations and lead to the removal of the minimum support price they receive on important crops. Farmers’ groups and civil society members from Gurugram and Nuh have also extended their support to the stir at the Khera border. Azad Khan, Haryana vice-president, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), said that farmers from Nuh had joined the agitation and were pitching in with food and other requirements. “We were proceeding towards Delhi but were stopped from doing so by the police. Farmers from Haryana and Rajasthan have come together for the agitation,” said Khan.

Hindustan Times

15-12-2020

Gurugram