Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers protesting in Delhi say they will attend the meeting with Centre

New Delhi: The farmer groups protesting against the three contentious farm laws at four different borders near Delhi said the different union representatives will attend the meeting called by the central government on Wednesday to discuss the farm laws and end the deadlock, as their agitation entered 33rd day on Monday amidst the prevailing cold weather.On Monday evening, he farmer unions held two meetings to discuss their stand on the government’s invitation and plan the further course of action. Farmer leaders who were part of the meetings said that the fate of the farmers and the future of their agitation would depend on the outcome of Wednesday’s meetings with the government. The farmer have also decided to hold a tractor march on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal highway on December 30 (Wednesday).“In the meeting, leaders of all the unions decided to attend the meeting with the government on Wednesday. Everything now depends on the outcome of the meeting. We are hoping that the government will accept our demands,” said Satnam Singh Sahni, general secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Doaba group.Addressing a gathering of farmers at the Ghazipur-Ghaziabad (UP Gate) border, BKU’s national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said that the government’s meeting scheduled on Tuesday has been rescheduled on Wednesday.“We will keep our demands before the government in our seventh round of talks. Hopefully, the government will understand the problems of farmers. We should continue our agitation peacefully till patiently,” said Tikait.At least six borders connecting Delhi and Haryana – Singhu, Tikri, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Saboli and Mangesh -- are closed since November 26, when thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana arrived there and began their agitation, demanding that the government repeal the farm laws. The UP Gate and Chilla borders, connecting Ghaziabad and Noida in Uttar Pradesh are partially closed, as movement of vehicles to Delhi from the two places are suspended.The traffic between Delhi-Haryana and Delhi-Uttar Pradesh is being diverted to the alternate borders since the borders were closed and the police placed sand-laden trucks, iron and concrete barricades with barbed wire atop, and iron containers to form multi-layered security arrangements and stop the farmers from proceeding into Delhi.At the Singhu and Tikri borders, hundreds of volunteers were seen serving meals, tea, snacks, medicines, jaggery and gajjaks to farmers through various tents set up on the roads and tractor trolleys. At many places, the farmers at Singhu, Tikri, UP Gate and Chilla borders were seen comforting themselves around small log fires and braving the cold.On Monday, many women and children also joined the male farmers in the protest. “Since the male members of our families have been fighting this battle and braving the cold weather, why we women should sit at home and wait them to die. It’s not just their (male farmers) battle, but of the entire farmer community. We will either die here protesting or go back home together after the government accepts our demands,” said Sabreen Kaur from Punjab’s Patiala.The core-committee of the farmers unions is likely to hold another meeting on Tuesday.

Hindustan Times

28-12-2020

City