INDIA. Delhi: Huge crowds of farmers of various states upheld a protest against the Centre at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The Delhi Police have tightened the security forces by cementing barricades effectively at Delhi borders, including Singh and Ghazipur.
The Delhi-Haryana Tikri Border is highly guarded. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a non-political organisation of 60 farmers’ unions, called the ‘mahapanchayat’ meeting at Jantar Mantar.
Farmers union protest against ‘unfulfilled promises’
The farmers union demands proper implementation of minimum support price (MSP) for crops and sugarcanes, which the Centre promised but failed to implement.
The ‘mahapanchayat’ demands the withdrawal of cases lodged against the farmers during their protest against farm laws. They also seek employment over the rising unemployment in the country.
On Sunday, the farmer’s leader Rakesh Tikait was retracted by the police at the Ghazipur border when he tried to participate in the ‘mahapanchayat’.
The leader expressed his disappointment for being excluded from the rally; he made it to the tweet by writing, “This struggle will continue till the last breath. Won’t stop, won’t get tired, won’t bow down.” He added that he will fix a meeting with the representatives of SKM and “strategise their future course of action.”
More than 5,000 farmers participated in the meeting, demanding the withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022 and ending the Agnipath scheme. A member of SKM, Abhimanyu Singh Kohar, said, “This rally is just the beginning of the next farmer movement on the MSP front.”
“The committee formed by the Centre also doesn’t have a fair representation of farmers; they are associated with either BJP or RSS. How can you expect them to work in our favour?”
He even gave an ultimatum to the Centre. “Monday’s rally was just a trailer. Police officials were sceptical, and tens of thousands of farmers, especially leaders, were stopped at various borders of Delhi. However, many still managed to reach Jantar Mantar,” he added.
Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders, including Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray, protest outside the State Assembly against the Maharashtra government, demanding compensation for farmers whose crops got damaged due to heavy rains.
Also Read: Not a Single Government of Any Party Has Done Anything for Farmers, Says Kalam Sheikh
