Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday congratulated the farmers on the “victory” of their movement that lasted for more than a year.
“I have never seen such a long and disciplined movement. For more than a year, farmers spent days and nights in roadside dharnas braving cold, heat, rain, storm and difficult conditions,” the former Haryana chief minister said.
“They faced torture and humiliation from those in power... lathis, tear gas, cold water cannons, iron nails, trenches were used on them and yet they stuck to peace, truth and non-violence,” the leader of opposition in the state said, adding, “There is an atmosphere of happiness in the whole country on this victory.”
“I am happy that the farmers are returning to their villages and are being warmly welcomed everywhere,” he said.
Hooda demanded that the government withdraw all the cases registered against the agitators without delay and “as promised”.
He also demanded financial help and government jobs to the kin of the farmers who were killed during the year-long agitation, besides granting Minimum Support Price the farmers had been asking for.
“Agriculture has to be made a profitable enterprise for farmers and the government should make such policies in future so that the 'annadata' does not have to take to the streets. The food producers of the country suffered during the farmers' movement in the last one year and this should not be repeated,” Hooda stated.
On Saturday, farmers from Punjab and Haryana were accorded a rousing welcome with sweets and garlands at several points on their return journey.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmers' unions, on Thursday had decided to suspend the over a year-long farmers' movement against the three contentious farm laws and announced that the farmers would vacate the protest sites on Delhi's borders on December 11.
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