Farmers Movement Archive

New stir cry: ‘Mandi bachao, kisan bachao’

JIND/KAITHAL: Farmers organised daylong “mandi bachao, kisan bachao” (save grain markets, save farmers) programmes in Jind and Kaithal districts on Friday. A cross section of people employed in the agriculture sector, including farmers, workers and arhtiyas, took part in events to press for the repeal of the three farm laws. Farmers said they sent out the message that all sections of society, including employees, labourers and small businessmen, were with farmers in the fight against the Centre. They also stressed on the need to organise the agitation with discipline and peace, saying that it would go on for a long time as the Modi government was adamant. Even though farmers of all age groups braved the coldest nights, the government ignored them, they alleged, claiming that the movement had become a “jan andolan” (mass movement). Two farmers, Navneet and Shamser Pliania, who came out of a Delhi jail after 32 days in connection with the January 26 incidents, were honoured with ‘kisan yodha’ award. Khera khap president Satbir Pahalwan said, “Farmers are getting overwhelming support in villages and the relationship between labourers and farmers is everlasting. The government should know that either the anti-farmer laws will be repealed or farmers’ bodies will return from Delhi borders.” “We followed the call of Sanyukta Kisan Morcha to observe ‘mandi bachao, kisan bachao’ programme. The government is not going to scrap the laws easily, so we have started mobilising people from villages to strengthen the agitation,” said BKU Jind district president Azad Singh Palva.

The Times of India

2021-03-20

Chandigarh