Farmers Movement Archive

‘Govt. is targeting us in all possible ways’

As the farmers’ agitation over the Centre’s new farm laws continues, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), one of the largest outfits in Punjab, has questioned the intent of the Central government in resolving the stalemate. BKU(U) president Joginder Singh on Tuesday told The Hindu that since the agitation started the government has been repeatedly trying to malign the movement with the sole aim of discrediting it. He said there was nothing wrong in waving photos of jailed activists on Human Rights Day from the outfit’s platform at Tikri (the Delhi-Bahadurgarh border). “Raising our voice demanding the release of activists and intellectuals, who we feel have been wrongly put behind bars, is not something new... On December 10 to observe the Human Rights Day, we again raised the demand from our stage. What’s wrong in that?” Mr. Singh alleged that the BJP-led Central government was finding ways to target and weaken the agitation on one pretext or the other. “First they [government] said the ongoing movement is led by the Congress [Opposition], then they associated it with the Khalistanis, then with Pakistan-China and then tried to label us as anti-national.” Mr. Singh accused the government of targeting the movement in all possible manners. “They are trying to bring to the fore the farm unions which they claim are backing the new laws. In Haryana, their Ministers are trying to provoke emotions by raising the Satluj-Yamuna Link canal issue... All this is being done to weaken our struggle,” he said. “The government is double faced... On one side, they give an impression that they want to resolve the issue but on the other hand they are making attempts to defame the agitation. Also, what’s the point of selectively inviting farm unions separately for talks? They are fearful of our unity and therefore they want to divide us at any cost. I urge all the unions to stick together,” he said.

The Hindu

2020-12-16

CHANDIGARH