JOIN USFarmers accuse Modi govt of dividing them, to observe hunger strike against farm laws
Agitating farmers on Sunday accused the Modi government of trying to divide them after Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar started reaching out to farmers supporting its agriculture sector reforms.
As protests against the farm laws entered the 18th day, farmers also decided to observe a day-long hunger strike on Monday. On Sunday, farmers took out a protest march on the Delhi-Jaipur highway.
With no end in sight to the agitation, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar met a group of farmers from Uttarakhand who declared support for the farm laws — the third such group to call on the minister over the past one week. Earlier, farmers from Haryana had called on Tomar and backed farm laws.
Farmers belonging to the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Bhanu), who had moved the Supreme Court against the farm laws, met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday night and called off their protests that had blocked the Delhi-UP border at Noida.
Tomar and junior minister for Commerce Som Parkash met Home Minister Amit Shah with a group of BJP leaders from Punjab to assess the political situation in the state, which has turned the epicentre of protests.
“The government is bringing its agents and presenting them as farmers with the intention to create a divide,” Gurnam Singh Chadhuni, president of the Haryana unit of Bhartiya Kisan Union, said.
Kejriwal to fast with farmers today
Announcing that he will sit on a day-long fast in solidarity with farmers on Monday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has asked the Centre to “shun arrogance” and repeal the three contentious laws besides bringing in a bill to guarantee MSP for agriculture produce.
Kejriwal also found fault with Union ministers and BJP leaders depicting the protesters as “anti-nationals” asking them whether they considered former soldiers, national and international sportsperson and others supporting farmers were such people. Responding to a call given by farmers, he said he will hold a day-long fast and urged AAP workers as well as the people to join in solidarity. “I will be fasting on Monday. I know many people whose hearts are with the protesting farmers,” he said.
“I want to appeal to the Central government to put an end to their ego. The governments are formed by the public, the public is not formed by the governments. The three farm laws should be immediately repealed and the farmers should be given guaranteed MSPs, and a new bill should be passed on it. All the demands of the farmers should be accepted without any condition as soon as possible,” he said.
He said the BJP believes that the protest comprises only a few farmers from Punjab and Haryana and that it was a "misconception".