Farmers to protest against farm laws on June 5 with 10 questions

Protesting farmers will greet leaders of BJP and RSS with 10 questions as they hold demonstrations outside the residences and offices of BJP lawmakers across the country on Saturday.

In districts where there is no BJP MP or MLA, the protest would take place outside district magistrate's office

The decision to ask questions was taken on June 4, the birthday of farmer leader Rakesh Tikait.

As farmer bodies' protest against the contentious farm laws has crossed more than six months and there is no indication from the government on withdrawing the laws, farmers' bodies have announced to observe June 5 as 'Sampoorna Kranti Divas' by burning copies of the Central farm laws in front of the offices of BJP MPs and MLAs.

The Unions have also tried to latch on to the public outrage against their public representatives due to the problems they faced during the coronavirus pandemic, to give teeth to their protest against farm laws.

Also read: Farmers' stir one of reasons behind Covid spread in villages: Khattar

A statement by Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) said the questions include, "Why the party's public representatives did not raise their voice for farmers, who are sitting in protest around Delhi for last six months, where were they when people were dying due to absence of oxygen and medicine during the pandemic, why the loans of farmers were not waived off and they were not given any package like corporates, what happened to the promise of doubling the farmers' income by 2022...

"Why farmers did not get remuneration for their produce as per M S Swaminathan Committee report, why sugarcane farmers were not paid their dues within 14 days, why agriculture court was not set up, what happened to the promise of giving 200 days employment under MGNREGS, why power sector is being privatised, what steps were taken to kids of farmers orphaned during Corona and what was done to provide compensation to family members of Corona victim farmers, a statement by BKU media in-charge Dharmendra Malik said.

Also read: Farmer unions latch on symbols of JP Narayan, Charan Singh, will observe June 5 as 'Sampoorna Kranti Divas'

The protest outside the residence and offices of BJP MPs and MLAs tomorrow will mark the one year of the promulgation of these laws as ordinances by the Centre as it was on June 5 last year when President Ram Nath Kovind had promulgated the two ordinances -- The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance 2020.

On May 26, the farmer unions had observed "Black Day'' in various states to mark the six months of their agitation and send a message against the Modi government that completed its seven years on May 30.

On May 21, Morcha had written to the Prime Minister, seeking his immediate intervention to resume discussions to address the issue. The last talk between the Govt and farmers had taken place on January 22, which was the 11th round of conversation between them.