By Special Correspondent
New Delhi: Expressing solidarity and support with the agitating farmers, opposition parties on Saturday condemned the Modi government for using brute force to suppress the ongoing protest against the three anti-famer’s laws. They said the heavy-handedness of the police is akin to waging a ‘war’ on farmers who are trying to enter the national capital to stage demonstration against the government’s anti-farmer and anti- people policies. Leaders of these parties demanded to stop repression of farmers and a larger ground like Ram Lila Maidan or similar must be allotted for their peaceful protest.
In a signed statement, leaders such as Sharad Pawar (NCP), T.R. Baalu (DMK), Sitaram Yechury (CPI(M) ), D. Raja (CPI), Manoj Jha (RJD), Dipankar Bhattacharya(CPI -ML), Debabrata Biswas (AIFB ) and Manoj Bhattacharya( RSP) and others said they salute the determination and courage of farmers in this massive protest demanding the withdrawal of the retrograde anti-Kisan agri laws.
“Braving severe repression, teargasing, heavy water cannoning, roadblocks, police barricades and digging up the national highways surrounding Delhi akin to waging a ‘war’ on our farmers, tens of thousands of farmers have successfully reached the National Capital of Delhi. We salute their determination and courage in this massive protest demanding the withdrawal of the retrograde anti-Kisan agri laws”, the statement adds.
Shouting slogans, singing songs and carrying flags in reds, greens and blues, about 400 farmers from various groups and states today gathered at north Delhi’s Burari ground where the government had allowed them to hold a peaceful protest against the new farm laws.
While thousands of farmers sat it out at various border points into Delhi for the third consecutive day of ‘Delhi Chalo’ campaign, many made their way into the national capital and gathered at the Nirankari ground, one of the largest in the city.
The statement further said “The Central Government was forced to relent and reverse its earlier decision of preventing our Kisans from reaching Delhi to peacefully voice their protest and allocated them a place to assemble. This ground, however, is too small for the tens of thousands that have reached Delhi”
The leaders demanded that a larger ground like Ram Lila Maidan or similar must be allotted for this peaceful protest and all necessary arrangements must be made for their stay and food.
We reiterate our opposition to these new agri-laws that threaten India’s food security, abolish MSP, destroy Indian agriculture and our farmers- ‘Annadatas’. The Central Government must adhere to the democratic process and norms and address the concerns of the protesting farmers, they said.
Jis kheit (field) se dahqan (farmer) ko milti na ho roti , oos kheit ke her khosha e ganndoom ( seeds of wheat) ko jalado. Sahir Ludhyanvi ‘s. revolutionary poem .