Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers to head for Parliament daily during monsoon session

BATHINDA: Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has decided to send batches of farmers daily towards Parliament during the upcoming monsoon session. The session will start on July 19 and end on August 13. Batches of over 300 farmers each will start moving towards Parliament in buses from July 22 as session will be lifted for the day on July 19 and July 20-21 will be vacation days. The batches will continue heading towards Parliament till the last day of session. During this action, if farmers are arrested, they will prefer to go to jails. All farm organisations participating in the protest have given their consent to the action plan in the meeting of SKM held at Singhu border on Sunday. It was decided that every farm organisation will send five members daily till the session lasts. With the action plan given by farmers, the chances of monsoon session turning stormy, outside the august house than inside, could not be ruled out. Before this, warning letters will be sent to MPs from opposition parties on July 17, asking them to “chuppi todo ya kursi chhodo” (speak up or quit). MPs from opposition parties will be asked not to let Parliament function till government does not agree to repeal farm laws. It is learnt farmers are planning to submit an action plan on Independence Day on August 15. Farmers had initially planned a march towards Parliament on foot on February 1, but after the violent happenings during farmer tractor parade on January 26, it was postponed indefinitely. The matter was raised again, but some differences had cropped up between farmer groups over the action plan and it was put on the backburner. Only two days ago, farm leader Gurnam Singh Charuni had sought views of farmers about the action plan and it was adopted by the SKM in its meeting on Sunday. Farm leaders Buta Singh Burjgill and Balbir Singh Rajewal said, “We have decided to start sending jathas of farmers in buses towards Parliament from July 22, which practically will be first day of monsoon session. Farmers will hold a protest outside Parliament or till where they are allowed to go. Before this, we will approach MPs from opposition parties urging them to raise a voice against farm laws or they too may have to face the ire of farmers. MPs will be urged to not allow Parliament to function.” Farm leader Jagmohan Singh said it had been decided that if farmers are not allowed to go towards Parliament and are arrested, farmers will not try to get bails. Charuni said farmers will comply with the action plan. Farmers have also given a call to hold protests against fuel price hike for two hours on July 8 by sitting or standing on roadsides without disrupting traffic on highways.

The Times of India

2021-07-05

Amritsar