Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers protest outside DC offices in Haryana

Farmers came out in large numbers and took out protest marches before holding day-long demonstrations outside the offices of deputy commissioners (DCs) in Haryana as the agitation against Centre’s three farm laws evoked massive response on Monday. Not only the opposition parties, but different employees’ bodies such as Haryana Sarv Karamchari Sangh and Asha Workers’ Association also extended support to the peasants. The agitation has already brought several farmer associations on a single platform. The protests remained peaceful. In Karnal, hundreds of Sarv Karamchari Sangh members marched in support of the farmers, while in Kurukshetra, the district bar association joined the dharnas at the mini secretariat. In Rohtak, farmers came out on tractors and assembled outside DC office. The farmers held protests outside the offices of DCs in Hisar, Bhiwani, Sonepat, Jhajjar, Jind, Fatehabad and many other districts. “Everybody should come forward to join this fight for the future of the farming community,” said Ratan Mann, Haryana BKU (Tikait) state president. Vikram Kisana, a farm leader protesting at Kaithal mini secretariat, said even as elderly farmers and women were protesting in harsh winter conditions, the government was not taking them seriously. He said that the farmers’ agitation has now become a “jan andolan”. The district authorities had made elaborate arrangements and heavy police deployment was made around the mini secretariat buildings. In Rohtak, police placed barricades near the DC office. In Jind, farmers removed barricades outside DC’s office and entered the building to give their memorandum. Former Congress’ Meham MLA Anand Singh Dangi sat with farmers outside Rohtak DC office, while former INLD MLA Om Prakash from Loharu extended support to the farmers at Bhiwani’s Siwani. Protesters had started assembling around 9am and lifted their protests at 5pm after submitting memorandums of their demands to the DCs. Gherao Kanwar Pal’s residence in YamunanagarFarmers and activists affiliated with the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU, Charuni) gathered outside the residence of Haryana education minister Kanwar Pal in Yamunanagar’s Jagadhri as part of their protest against the three farm laws on Monday. The protesting farmers asked the minister to “leave” the government to stand in their support. Earlier, farmers with support from the district bar association, Sarv Karamchari Sangh, and other unions had staged a sit-in at Jagadhri Grain Market. Similar protests were seen in Ambala. Dushyant urges farmers to end stirUrging farm unions to end the agitation and hold talks with the Centre, Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala on Monday said the central government had been working in the interest of farmers.“The farmer organisations should also take steps that are beneficial for the agriculture sector...as the farmers are facing losses due to this protest,” he said in Delhi after meeting Union road and transport minister Nitin Gadkari to expedite road development works in the state.In a statement, an official spokesperson said that during the meeting with Gadkari, the deputy CM discussed various issues, including farmers’ agitation.Responding to a question regarding the same, he said, “A positive solution is expected soon.”Stating that “initially the farmer organisations wanted to include the MSP in writing,” he said now the central government has agreed to it.Dushyant said under the Bharatmala project, three greenfield corridors were being constructed in the state — first from Amritsar to Gujarat, second from Gurugram to Gujarat and third from Ismailabad (Kurukshetra) to Narnaul.He said that the state government had placed a demand for the construction of East-West Corridor in Haryana before Gadkari and two proposals were sent by the state government to the Centre in this regard.

Hindustan Times

15-12-2020

City