Farmers to mark 'black day' from home on Wednesday

Samyukt Kisan Morcha keader Kulwant Sandhu said that farmers would burn effigies of PM Modi as a mark of protest

Amid a raging Covid-19 pandemic, farmers' unions agitating on the borders of the capital have decided against crowding at protest sites here and asked supporters to put black flags atop their homes to mark six months of their agitation demanding repeal of the three farm laws.

“Farmers are present at the protest sites and we will mark Buddha Poornima on May 26 and also observe ‘Black Day’ against the seven years of the oppressive Modi government,” Kulwant Sandhu, leader of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, told DH.

He said the farmers have decided to avoid getting any undue attention to the three protest sites against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and have asked supporters to put up black flags on their homes.

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“We will also burn effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a mark of protest,” said Sandhu, who leads the Jamhuri Kisan Union, which is part of the SKM, the umbrella body of farmers’ agitation.

Farmers have been protesting at the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders of the national capital since November 26 last year demanding repeal of the three farm laws.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar have appealed to the farmers to suspend their protest citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

Also Read | NHRC seeks report from three states on alleged flouting of Covid appropriate behaviour at farmers' protests

Sandhu said there has been no fresh attempt by the Modi government to repeal the farm laws or re-start the negotiations.

Twelve opposition parties, including the Congress, Trinamool, DMK, NCP, Shiv Sena, RJD, Left parties, have declared support to the SKM call to observe Black Day on May 26.

“We extend our support to the call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) to observe a countrywide protest day on May 26 marking the completion of six months of the heroic peaceful Kisan struggle,” read the joint statement issued by 12 major opposition parties.