Kisan Andolan Day 45: Farmers brave heat, forge ahead with protest plans

Hyderabad: Under the leadership of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and SKM (non-political), the momentum of Kisan Andolan 2.0 has been kept steady for 45 days now at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, outside New Delhi.

Farmers and farm labourers have come together to represent their needs in front of the Union government. The farmers have taken responsibility at the village level to maintain the strength at the borders.

Farmers brave summer heat

To combat the summer heat, farmers are taking shade in handmade bamboo huts. All the farmers are mentally prepared for a long struggle against the prime minister Narendra Modi-led government. Under the leadership of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Amarjeet Singh Mohri, the kalash yatra of Shubhakaran Singh – one of the protestors who allegedly died from bullet wounds in the neck during the march – in Haryana is continuously moving forward in the villages.

The farmers have reported that the kalash yatra is getting a good response from the people of Haryana. Hundreds of people are coming from every village to pay tribute to the Shubhakaran. During this yatra, people are being invited to the Kisan Maha Panchayat to be held in Mohari Mandi, Ambala on March 31 to pay tribute to Shubhakaran Singh.

The protestors have reported that, to defame the farmers’ movement, the government unloaded a truckload of beer in the forest near the Sambhu border last night. The morcha has warned the administration to desist from such cheap tactics to defame the farmers.

Farmer leaders explain protest plans

On Thursday, at the Sambhu border, farmer leaders Surajbhan and Surjit Singh played the stage secretaries. Farmer leaders Sukhwinder Singh Sabhara, Surjit Singh Phool, Manjit Singh Nihal, Mandeep Singh Kaler, Gurmel Singh Jandwala, Harpreet Singh, Hardev Singh Kular, Balwinder Singh, Jaswinder Singh Gurusar, Chamkaur Singh Usman Wala, Sukhdev Singh Thathar, Savinder Singh Rupowali and Baba Labh Singh addressed the people.

Farmer leaders elaborated on the demands of the movement, especially the legal guarantee of MSP and fixing of MSP at C2 +50 per cent and the importance of loan waiver of farmers and farm labourers to resolve the agricultural crisis.

Along with this, the leaders said that these demands will not only benefit the farmers and labourers but will also benefit the economy of the entire country. Farmer leaders said that after the information about electoral bonds came to light, ‘the pro-corporate face of the BJP government ruling the country has become more exposed.’

Talking about the pressure of Farmers Movement 2.0 on the BJP, the farmer leader said that all the efforts of the BJP to alliance with Akali Dal for the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab have failed. Farmer leaders have invited the public from the stage to campaign in the coming days in villages and cities to raise questions about BJP’s anti-farmer and labour policies and make it difficult for them to reach out to the people.