Protests against agri laws complete seven months: Punjab, Haryana famers submit memorandums to officials

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Farmers from Punjab and Haryana on Saturday submitted memorandums to officials from the Governor's office in Chandigarh before returning home, reported The Tribune. 

With their protest against the Centre's three agri laws completing seven months, farmers are observing Kheti Bachao, Loktantra Bachao Diwas (Save Agriculture, Save Democracy day) on Saturday.

The farmers from Punjab broke through barricades at the Chandigarh-Mohali border while attempting to march to the Governor's house and police used a water cannon to disperse them.

According to a statement by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions protesting at various points on the Delhi border, Kheti Bachao, Loktantra Bachao Diwas is being marked all over India to mark the completion of seven months of the farmers' protests and 46 years after the promulgation of Emergency in India in 1975.

According to the Indian Express, farmers said that they would march towards the National Capital on Saturday. Thousands of farmers from Saharanpur and Sisauli in western Uttar Pradesh reached Ghazipur Gate led by BKU chief Rakesh Tikait, reported news agency PTI earlier in the day.

Farmers were also seen on tractors, ready for a rally, the report said.

Meanwhile, the BKU dismissed reports of Rakesh Tikait being arrested as completely baseless and said he is present at the Ghazipur border.

Three Delhi Metro stations closed

The Delhi Police tightened security arrangements across borders of the National Capital in view of the anticipated protest march by farmers, officials told PTI.

Meanwhile, citing security reasons, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has said that three stations on the Yellow Line — Vishwavidyalaya, Civil Lines, and Vidhan Sabha — will remain closed for the public from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday.

Farmers to submit memoranda to governors

Also on Saturday, the representatives of farmers will seek to submit memoranda to governors in various states, demanding the repeal of the three laws.

The memorandums to be forwarded to President Ram Nath Kovind would be given to mark the completion of seven months of farmers' agitation against the three Central legislations, Bharatiya Kisan Union's all-India president Naresh Tikait said on Friday while addressing the farmers after leading a rally of 100 tractors from Muzaffarnagar to the UP Gate protest site on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in Ghaziabad.

Punjab

In Punjab, a large number of farmers, including women, from several parts of the state assembled at Amb Sahib Gurudwara in Mohali before heading to the Punjab Raj Bhavan.

The farmers broke the police barricades on the Mohali-Chandigarh border to march into the Union Territory and police used a water cannon. One of the protesting farmers climbed on top of a water cannon vehicle.

According to The Hindustan Times, the farmers managed to enter Chandigarh with the help of tractors but were stopped on Madhya Marg, two kilometres from governor VP Singh Badnore’s official residence.

An official from the governor’s office took the memorandum from the farmers. Following this, many farmers went back while some were dropped in buses to the Chandigarh border.

Haryana

According to the report, a group of farmers coming from Haryana, led by Yogendra Yadav and Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union president Gurnam Singh Chaduni, did not enter Chandigarh. The group handed over the memorandum to an officer of the Haryana governor’s secretariat in Panchkula.

News agency PTI reported that farmers from several parts of the Haryana gathered at Nada Sahib gurudwara in Panchkula and headed towards the Raj Bhavan.

The BKU (Chaduni) had said that on the call of the SKM, farmers of the state will march to the Governor's house in Chandigarh and submit a memorandum to be sent to the President.

Tight security arrangements in Chandigarh

In view of the farmers' protest march, the Haryana Police had made security arrangements at the Chandigarh-Panchkula border and officials said a heavy police force was deployed in Chandigarh. According to a statement issued by the Chandigarh traffic police on Friday, 13 entry and exit points in Chandigarh were to remain closed from 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday.

"In view of the law and order situation in the city, following entry/exit points will remain closed on 26 June from 10 am to 6 pm. These are Mullanpur barrier, Zirakpur barrier, Sector 5/8 turn, Hirsa Singh Chowk, Sector 7/8 turn, Lake turn, Sector 7 residence cut opposite PRB, Golf turn, Gursagar Sahib turn, Maulijagran bridge, Housing Board near the bridge, Kishangarh turn and Matour Barrier," the statement said, and advised the general public to avoid these routes and stay at home except in case of any emergency.

According to the Hindustan Times report, despite the police advisory, traffic came to a standstill in Chandigarh.

As an expression of solidarity, one such rally is also being planned in Massachusetts, USA, the SKM said. Protests by farmers growing wheat, sugarcane, mango, apple, green gram, paddy, jowar and others continue in different parts of the country for remunerative guaranteed prices, the SKM statement said.

According to the Indian Express report, the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union on Friday announced that if the issues related to the farm labourers are not resolved by 9 August, they will start a three-day dharna in Patiala, the hometown of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Centre calls on unions to end agitation

Earlier in the day, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar reiterated the appeal to the farmers' unions to call off their agitation.

"The government of India has held 11 rounds of talks with them (the unions). The agriculture bills will bring about a change in the farmers' lives. The Government of India has increased the MSP. It has bought more at MSP than earlier. And a large section of the country is backing the laws. But even then, if the farmers' union has any problem with any of the clauses, the Union government is ready to listen to them,  to discuss and to redress (the problems)," the minister said.

We are with the protesting farmers, tweets Rahul Gandhi

Meanwhile, extending support to the agitating farmers, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted: "It's simple: We are with the protesting farmers".

Party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said that Congress strongly supports the peaceful protest of the farmers.

Farmers have been protesting against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

They have been camping at Delhi borders since November last year, demanding the withdrawal of these three laws. They have also been demanding that a new law be made to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

Several rounds of talks between the farmers and the Centre have failed to break the deadlock over these contentious laws. The talks between the two sides came to a halt after a  tractor parade by farmers in Delhi on 26 January turned violent.

The last round of talks between the farmer leaders and the government was held on 22 January.



from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3jo3IDM
FP Staff

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