NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, PUNE, AHMEDABAD, DEC 14
Leaders of around 32 farmer unions observed a day-long hunger strike at Delhi’s Singhu border on Monday to protest against the Centre’s new farm laws.
The unions claimed that demonstrations were also held at various district headquarters across the country.
The hunger strike began at 8 am and ended at 5 pm even as talks with the government remained inconclusive.
The unions claimed that more people expected to join the ongoing agitation, which entered the third week.
United Farmers’ Front said leaders also observed a two minute-silence over the alleged deaths of over 20 protesters at Delhi borders in the last 18 days.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday joined AAP leaders, MLAs and volunteers at the party office to observe fast in support of protesting farmers and said the three agri laws will lead to “immense inflation and just favour a few capitalists”, as he termed the legislations “anti-farmer and anti-common man”.
“I appeal to parties to stop playing dirty politics over farmers” issue. These laws are anti-farmers and anti-aam aadmi and are aimed to benefit a few capitalists. These laws will lead to immense inflation through hoarding,” Kejriwal said.
Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel also observed a day-long fast in support of the farmers protesting against three new farm laws.
In a tweet, Goel said, “Sitting on one day fast in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Vidhan Sabha in support of farmers one day fast today”.
Shiv Kumar Kakka, one of the farmer leaders who observed the hunger strike, said the main purpose of the fast was to draw the attention of the government towards their issue.
“We wanted to send out a strong message to the government that it is not just an agitation by Punjab farmers but also an agitation of farmers from across the nation.
“We have got support from across the nation. But because trains are not operating, farmers are not able to come or those coming are being stopped,” he said.
In Punjab and Haryana, farmers raised slogans outside the offices of district commissioners and took out protest marches on Monday.
The Haryana Police closed the Ambala-Patiala highway after protesters gathered at the Shambhu border point with adjoining Punjab.
Hundreds of farmers have stayed put at the Haryana-Rajasthan border as they were stopped from moving towards the national capital.
“Tens of thousands of farmers are moving towards Delhi from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and other states and the numbers of protesting farmers at Delhi borders are swelling,” a farmer leader claimed.
Several borders of the national capital remained closed on Monday due to the ongoing protest by farmers against the Centre’s new agri laws.
The Delhi Traffic Police took to Twitter to inform people about road closures and advised them to take alternative routes to avoid inconvenience.
Farmers from different states have been camping at Delhi’s Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur border points for over two weeks to demand repeal of the farm laws enacted in September.
In a series of tweets, the Delhi Traffic Police said, “Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Sabholi & Mangesh borders are closed. Please take alternate routes via Lampur, Safiabad & Singhu school toll tax borders. Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba & GTK road. Pl avoid Outer Ring Rd, GTK road, NH-44.”
“Gazipur border is closed for traffic coming from Gaziabad to Delhi due to farmers protests. People are advised to take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Chilla, Apsara & Bhopra borders,” it tweeted.
Multi-layered cemented barriers, additional police force, and barbed wires formed the first layer of security at the protest site at Singhu border. The second layer of barricades deployed by the Delhi Police is being guarded by a team of Rapid Action Force along with personnel from the paramilitary forces.
Meanwhile, an IT professional from Punjab’s Ludhiana, who came to India from Sydney in October, is running a Twitter campaign to take on those spreading “fake news and running vilification campaigns” against the ongoing farmers” protest.
The Twitter handle – Tractor2twitr – has garnered 2.5 million impressions from across the globe since November 28.
“I had come to India in October-end to attend to some personal work, but then this (farmers” protest) happened and I stayed on,” Bhavjit Singh says.
He said his idea was to disseminate authentic information about the protest as a “lot of people have been tweeting, running a vilification campaign against the movement”.
His friend and a volunteer, Jaspreet Singh, says, “Paid and motivated users dominate and encroach upon the Twitter space. Our campaign is an effort to counter them.”
Protesting farmers at Delhi border points have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.
The government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.
Anna Hazare warns Centre of fast over agri-related demands
Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday wrote to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar warning “resumption of a hunger strike” against the Centre”s “failure” to fulfil his demands including the implementation of the recommendations made by M S Swaminathan Commission.
Hazare’s other demand include granting autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
The anti-graft activist had sat on a fast in his Ralegaon Siddhi village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra in February 2019.
He called off the fast on February 5, 2019, after receiving a written assurance from then Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh that the Centre would form a high-powered committee to discuss the suggestions made by the Swaminathan Commission and other agriculture-related demands.
In his letter to Tomar, copies of which were shared with reporters, Hazare has enclosed the letter of Radha Mohan Singh assuring that the high-powered committee will prepare its report and submit it by October 30, 2019.
“The Centre had assured that it would take appropriate action on the demands based on the committee’s report. Since nothing has been done till date to that effect, I am thinking to resume the hunger strike which was called off on February 5, 2019,” Hazare wrote in his letter to Tomar.
The octogenarian said the Centre would be soon apprised of the date and venue of the fast.
Hazare observed a fast on December 8 in support of the Bharat Bandh called by farmer organisations demanding a repeal of the Centre”s three agri laws.
He had warned of an agitation if the government fails to grant autonomy to the CACP and implement recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.
Let go of hands of ‘election financiers’, hold hands of country”s ‘annadaatas’: Cong to govt
The Congress on Monday attacked the Centre over the farmers’ day-long hunger strike, saying the government should let go of the hands of “election financiers” and hold the hands of the country’s food providers by repealing the new farm laws.
Leaders of around 32 farmer unions observed a day-long hunger strike at Delhi’s Singhu border on Monday to protest against the Centre’s new farm laws.
The unions claimed that demonstrations were also held at various district headquarters across the country.
“For the first time in 73 years, the farmers who feed the nation are on a hunger strike throughout the country. How many more ”achche din” you will bring Modi ji!” Congress” chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted.
“Let go of the hands of election financiers and hold the hands of ”annadaatas” (food providers), wipe their tears and apologise, while taking back the three black laws,” he said.
Responding to Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar”s remarks that the government”s wish is that farmers come for clause-by-clause discussion, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “Why didn’t Modi Sarkar allow a Parliament Committee to examine the 3 Farm Bills clause-by-clause when the Opposition demanded it in September? Now it says it is ready. Ridiculous!”
Hitting out at the government, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari alleged that first, the government labelled farmers as Khalistanis, then Pakistanis and then terrorists and now ”Tudke Tudke Gang”.
“Govt seems to have lost it. Does it take rocket science to understand that they are ”FARMERS-KISANS” worried about their & their children”s future,” he tweeted.
Tewari”s remarks came a day after Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said stern action will be taken against nation breakers “Tukde Tukde Gang” trying to take advantage of farmers movement against the new farm laws.
Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said in a tweet in Hindi, “Who is the real ”Tukde Tukde Gang”: Those who don’t see citizens as equals, those who spread hate in society, those who spread fear with their policies, those who praise Godse…not our farmers!”
Tagging a media report on BJP MP Pragya Thakur’s remarks claiming a ”shudra” (fourth and lowest of the traditional varnas as per scriptures) feels bad for lack of understanding, Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi, “Modi ji, till when will the BJPites bind the Dalits and the poor with the varna system and insult them.”
“Another attempt to do away with the SC/ST reservation. BJP should end its malfeasance towards SC/ST. Will you take action against Pragya,” he asked.
In controversial remarks, Thakur said on Sunday, “A kshatriya doesn’t feel bad if we call them kshatriya. A brahmin doesn’t feel bad if we call them brahmin. A vaishya doesn’t feel bad if we call them vaishya. But a shudra feels bad if we call them shudra, what is the reason? Because they don’t understand.”
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also hit out at the government on two different issues.
Tagging a media report which claimed that 10 percent of the Rs 20 lakh crore package announced by the government had been disbursed, Gandhi tweeted, “Election ”jumla” – Rs 15 lakh in accounts. Carona (coronavirus) jumla – package of Rs 20 lakh crore.”
In another tweet Gandhi tagged a TV news clipping in which a Wall Street Journal media report was cited to claim that Facebook feared cracking down on a right-wing group for negative impact on projects and staff.
“Further confirmation that BJP-RSS control Facebook in India,” Gandhi tweeted along with the clip.
