Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers to 9 MLAs & 2 MPs of Agra: Support our cause or face ‘social boycott’

Agra: A panchayat in UP’s Agra district on Thursday asked the nine MLAs and two MPs of the district to issue a letter of support to the protesting farmers or face “social boycott”, putting the public representatives in a fix as all of them belong to the ruling party.The farmers held a ‘kisan panchayat’ in Baroli Ahir block of the district and announced that they would start protest against the legislators from February 7 if they didn’t come out in support of the ongoing stir against the three agriculture laws brought by the Centre. The panchayat was attended by hundreds of farmers.Addressing the gathering, several Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) functionaries also expressed apprehension over the legal notices being sent to farmers for “instigating” people against the three laws.BKU’s Agra president, Rajveer Lawaniya, said, “From February 7, farmers in large numbers will stage protests at residences of nine MLAs and two MPs in Agra district. We will ask them to provide a letter supporting the peaceful protest of farmers or they will have to face social boycott.”Another farmer leader Kripal Singh Fauzdar said, “BJP was able to win all the seats of Agra due to the support of farmers. Now it is time for them to stand with those farmers and request the central government to withdraw the farm laws. We know that they will not do that. So farmers have made their minds to socially boycott the BJP leaders. Farmers will not allow them to enter villages." Meanwhile, farmers’ organisations are planning a massive show of strength on February 6.Farmer leader Shyam Singh Chahar said, “I think the central government is not able to gauge the mood of the farmers. Protests will intensify in the coming days. We are making the required arrangements for February 6 ‘chakka jam (road blockades). State and national highways will be completely blocked from all sides for three hours (12-3 PM) on Friday.”

The Times of India

2021-02-05

Agra