Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers, some as old as 70, to take out bicycle march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to unite tillers

AGRA: A 72-year-old man from Punjab and a Haryana woman, 62, will be among the 50 farmers who will start their bicycle march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, criss-crossing the country roads and uniting the growers for the ongoing protests against the three agriculture laws. The bicycle march is being organised by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmers' unions protesting against the three laws. Starting on March 12, it will pass through 20 states and cover over 8,000km in the next six months. The rally is expected to swell as it passes through states. “We are taking out a ‘Kisan Cycle March’ of 8,308km from Kanyakumari. We will try to unite farmers from all over the country to protest against the pro-corporate agenda of BJP. Through this march we will alert farmers regarding the central government’s attempt to abolish the MSP system in the country,” said Vikas Chaudhary, a farmer from Shamli in Uttar Pradesh who came up with the idea. “We have 50 people aged between 18 years and 72 years who have joined us. We met during the protest at different borders. The group included students, retired servicemen and even the elderly, all with an agriculture background. Over 400 people have registered to participate in the cycle march so far. They will join us during the march from different states. Our teams are in the process of finalizing arrangements at different villages,” Chaudhary said. The march will pass through 150 district headquarters and public meetings will be organized at different religious sites, universities and villages. Kant Pal Singh, a 72-year-old farmer activist from Ludhiana who is the senior-most member of the group, so far, said, “We know it will be difficult. But we are willing to do it for the cause. Thousands of farmers are in the third month of their protest at Delhi borders. They braved the cold. And now they will face a scorching summer. I am fit and ready to do anything in the fight for the rights of farmers. The central government is not able to gauge the discontent among the farmers. We will die protesting but will never back off. The central government will have to take back the three farm laws and guarantee MSP for crops.” Among the women participants, 62-year-old Kamlesh Rana is the eldest one to register for the march. She is from Haryana and has pledged to paddle till Kashmir. Since November 26 last year, farmers have been protesting on the different border points of the national capital against the three farm laws. There have been 11 rounds of talks between the Central government and farmer organizations, but no consensus has been achieved so far.

The Times of India

2021-03-11

Agra