Farmers Movement Archive

On Dussehra, farm groups burn PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah effigies in Haryana

AMBALA/KARNAL/JIND: Following the call of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) farmers under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Charuni burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra and Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Ambala, Karnal, Jind and Kurukshetra districts on Friday, to mark Dussehra. Farmers also burnt the effigies of several other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and also the faces of two corporate houses. Farmers raised slogans against the government and demanded repeal of three agri-marketing laws and a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP). In Kurukshetra, the effigies of leaders were burnt in all blocks of the district at Ambedkar Chowk in Ladwa, Sunria Chowk in Babain, at Umri Langar in Thanesar, old grain market at Pehowa, at grain market gate in Ismailabad and HUDA police post at Shahabad. In Ambala, the farmers burnt the effigies of BJP leaders at Lakhnaur Sahib, Shahzadpur, Korwa Khurd and many other villages of the district. The protests by the farmers remained peaceful and no untoward incident was reported. In Karnal, activists of BKU (Charuni) also burnt the effigy of Haryana deputy CM Dushyant Chautala. Hundreds of farmers from nearby villages reached Committee Chowk of Karnal. They carried out a protest march in the city while chanting slogans against the BJP-JJP government and demanding withdrawal of the agriculture laws. Bhadur Singh Mehla, a local BKU (Charuni) leader, said, "Today, we burnt effigies of BJP leaders who brought these back laws. Hundreds of farmers sacrificed their lives during this farmer’s agitation. The government will have to listen to the voice of the people." BKU Charuni spokesman Rakesh Kumar Bains said, "For society and farmers, the biggest Ravan today are the rulers of the country who are ignoring the legitimate demands of farmers due to arrogance and stubborn attitude. More than 700 farmers have lost their lives, but the rulers have not broken their silence." In Jind, farm activists described BJP-JJP leaders as “kisano kay Ravan” (Ravan for farmers). They held protests at villages in the district to burn effigies. Farmers erected statues in villages with the faces of Modi, Khattar and Dushyant Chautala and burnt them after holding protests.

The Times of India

2021-10-16

Chandigarh