Farmers Movement Archive

At UP Gate, farmer leaders ask volunteers to gear up for ‘long fight’

Ghaziabad: Leaders of various farmer organisations protesting at the UP Gate in Ghaziabad on Saturday asked their supporters to prepare for a “prolonged agitation” and also suggested measures so that the ongoing protests go on without any disruption. Thousands of farmers have been occupying the UP Gate border area since November 28 to press for their demand for rollback of the Centre’s three new farm laws. The farmers’ leaders said that the Bharatiya Janata Party has been organising ‘kisan’ meetings across the country to publicise the benefits of farm bills, and it seems that the ongoing agitation will get prolonged but they are prepared for it. “The government is not inclined to take back the farm laws and has been publicising their benefits. So, it appears that the fight will continue and you must prepare for a long fight. Those willing to join the protest here should come just like the farmers of Punjab. So, you spend couple of days here and return, while other groups will come here,” said Rakesh Tikait, leader and national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). He told the farmers that the protest as well as work in the field back home should continue. “We have asked them to keep an eye on the protests at Delhi borders, and if the situation demands they should be able to arrive here within 3-4 hours. Here we have provision of electricity and we also have solar panels. Our volunteers also ensure that outsiders or any disturbing elements get spotted at the outset. Further, we must tell the media persons about our issues so that more people become aware of our problems,” Tikait added. Thousands of farmers from UP, Punjab and Uttarakhand have joined protests at the UP Gate and have also blocked the Ghaziabad-Delhi carriageway of the National Highway-9 since December 3. “Our farmers’ associations have given a joint call to pay tributes to our members who have died during the agitation, and everyone has been asked to remember them from 11am to 1pm in whatever way they can. When the court has already said that protest can go on peacefully, tractor-trolleys are getting stopped and other coercive measures are being taken to stop them. If this continues, ten times more people will come and try to enter Delhi,” said Sardar VM Singh, a prominent farmer leader who heads the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan. The farmer leaders further said that they have a fight with the Centre and not with any state government. “We have no fight with governments of UP and Uttarakhand. So, they must not stop our tractor-trolleys. Some of our vehicles have been stopped in different districts that include Rampur, Bareilley and Amroha, among others. If they do so, we have directed our district volunteers to ensure that such trolleys move ahead from such districts. The government representatives are going in villages while we are in Delhi. Let them come back to Delhi and we will talk to them,” Tikait said. However, Ghaziabad district magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey said that there have been no incidents of stoppage of tractor-trolleys in the district. “We are in regular talks with the farmers’ leaders and there is no issue of any stoppage of their tractor-trolleys in Ghaziabad. We are ensuring that their protest remains peaceful,” he said.Chandra Mohan, BJP’s state unit spokesperson, said that they are getting good response for the farm bills in villages across UP. “We are holding meetings with farmers to tell them about the benefits of the new farm laws. Most of the farmers are with the government. Also, our government has not tried to stop any tractor-trolley of farmers,” he said.Meanwhile, the farmers’ leaders on Saturday reiterated that the farm laws be rolled back and a new law on MSP should be enacted, otherwise the farmers will stay put and continue their protests. There have been at least six rounds of talks between the central government and the farmers’ leaders, but have failed to end the stalemate.

Hindustan Times

19-12-2020

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