Farmers perform ‘shavasana’, block roads
LUCKNOW: Hundreds of farmers performed ‘shavasana’ on the Lucknow–Faizabad highway in Safedabad (Barabanki) to symbolically protest killing of farmers in Mandsaur (MP).
They demanded adequate rates for their crops, waiver of all loans of marginal farmers and implementation of Swaminathan Commission report in the country. They also sought withdrawal of all cases against farmers during the agitation in Mandsaur.
The farmers called off their protest in Lucknow, saying that they didn’t want any trouble for yoga enthusiasts who were going to participate in the International Yoga Day celebrations at Ramabai Ambedkar ground on Wednesday. However, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) decided to block highways in Hardoi, Kanpur, Unnao, Barabanki and Sitapur (districts adjoining Lucknow) to register their protest.
“We chose ‘shavasana’ because we wanted to show the government that farmers are reduced to a dead body, if they are not treated well in an agriculturebased economy like India, especially in Hindi belt of UP and Madhya Pradesh, where 80% of population is dependent on agriculture. Farmers don’t deserve bullets if they demand good rates for their produce or waiver in loans,” said Alok Varma, general secretary, BKU (Lucknow division).
BKU’s protest lasted from 9am to 11am. “We have not touched Lucknow but have protested on all highways adjoining Lucknow. The protests in Kanpur, Sitapur, Hardoi, Rae Bareli, Faizabad, Sultanpur and Lakheempur have been successful. We have succeeded in our motive of drawing the attention of administration towards the problem of farmers.”
Harnam Singh, president of BKU (Lucknow division) said, “We hope that our ‘shavasana’ has brought the government out of its slumber.”
BKU PROTEST IN MEERUT
Farmers under the aegis of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) also performed yoga on highways passing through western UP and blocked traffic to attract the government’s attention towards their plight.
While one group gathered at Delhi-Dehradun highway in Daurala area on Wednesday and blocked traffic, another group blocked Delhi- Pauri highway in Mawana town of the district.
BKU leaders Nawab Singh Ahlawat and Sanjay Dauralia led the protestors in Daurala and the farmers demanded immediate compensation to the families of farmers killed in Madhya Pradesh, unconditional waiver of loans, minimum support price for vegetables and crops and implementation of Swaminathan Commission report.
BKU state spokesperson Dharmendra Malik claimed that farmers performed yoga on Delhi-Saharanpur-Hardwar highway at Nangal and Chutmalpur in Saharanpur; Mansoorpur, Rampur Tiraha, Lalukheri and Budhana in Muzaffarnagar’ Hapur chungi in Hapur and many other locations on different highways.
We chose ‘shavasana’ because we wanted to show the government that farmers are reduced to a dead body, if they are not treated well in an agriculturebased economy like India ALOK VARMA, general secretary, BKU (Lucknow division)