SAMYUKT KISAN MORCHA SAYS IT WILL SCALE UP AGITATION WITH FRESH EVENTS
Union announces series of events from February 23-27, says will form strategy to keep the protest going for long
NEW DELHI: Protesting farmers on Sunday announced a series of events from February 23-27 to intensify their agitation against the three new agricultural laws as they accused the government of adopting “repressive” measures against them. They also said they will soon devise a strategy to keep the protest going for long.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is spearheading the protests, said at a press conference that under their proposed escalation programme, February 23 will be observed as “Pagdi Sambhal Diwas” and February 24 as “Daman Virodhi Diwas”, essentially to underline that farmers must be respected and no “repressive measures” should be taken against them.
The union said February 26 will be observed as “Yuva Kisan Diwas” (youth farmers day) and February 27 as “Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Divws” (farmer-labourer unity day).
“The government is adopting all the repressive measures, mischief and manipulation, including arrests, detentions and registration of cases against the protesters. The Singhu border has been fortified and appears to be an international border,” farmer leader Yogendra Yadav said.
Another leader, Darshan Pal, also alleged “repression” by the government.
NEW DELHI: Protesting farmers on Sunday announced a series of events from February 23-27 to intensify their agitation against the three new agricultural laws as they accused the government of adopting “repressive” measures against them. They also said they will soon devise a strategy to keep the protest going for long.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is spearheading the protests, said at a press conference that under their proposed escalation programme, February 23 will be observed as “Pagdi Sambhal Diwas” and February 24 as “Daman Virodhi Diwas”, essentially to underline that farmers must be respected and no “repressive measures” should be taken against them.
The union said February 26 will be observed as “Yuva Kisan Diwas” (youth farmers day) and February 27 as “Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Divws” (farmer-labourer unity day).
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November 26, demanding a repeal of these laws. “The government is
adopting all the repressive measures, mischief and manipulation, including arrests, detentions and registration of cases against the protesters. The Singhu border has been fortified and appears to be an international border,” farmer leader Yogendra Yadav said.
A long-term plan for movement will be discussed in view of the Parliament session from March 8, and the strategy will be shared in the next meeting of the SKM, he said. Another leader, Darshan Pal, also alleged
“repression” by the government.
He said around 32 people have got bail out of 122 arrested by Delhi Police in connection with the violence and vandalism in the national capital during the farmers’ tractor rally on Republic Day.
Don’t make it a prestige issue: Amarinder to govt
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday appealed to the Centre not to make revoking its three farm laws a prestige issue and consider so to find a long-term solution to the problem.
Observing that an early resolution to the issue was critical to the safety of Punjab, the senior Congress leader said that he and his government continue to stand with farmers on the issue.
He said even in his written speech submitted to the Niti Aayog for circulation during its Saturday’s meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he had categorically underscored the need for an “urgent resolution” of the current agitation “to the satisfaction of protesting farmers by addressing all their grievances”. “It is farmers who have to decide what is in their interest and to what extent they are willing to compromise, if at all, on their demand for the repeal of the farm laws,” said the chief minister in a statement. He reiterated his stand that “the central government should not stand on prestige on the issue and should be willing to revoke the legislations to find an effective, longterm solution to the problem”.
Will soon visit Gujarat to mobilise support: Tikait
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, meanwhile, said he will soon visit Gujarat to drum up support for the movement.
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson also claimed that farmers will eventually not be able to take any part of their farm produce because the new laws will favour only the corporations. Citing an example, he said, “The milk produced in villages cost around Rs 20-22 per litre but when it reaches cities through corporations, it costs consumers anywhere above Rs 50 per litre.” “Now the corporations are building large storage houses and warehouses to store foodgrains and once there will be shortage in market, they will sell it at rates of their choice,” Tikait said in a statement. “We will not let such a situation arise. We are only concerned about this and will not let corporate control crops in the country,” he added.
YANGON: Thousands attended a funeral on Sunday for the young woman who was the first person to have been killed in the protests against the Myanmar military’s takeover, just one day after security forces shot dead two more demonstrators.
Mya Thwet Thwet Khine was shot in the head by police on February 9, two days before her 20th birthday, at a protest in the capital, Naypyidaw, and died on Friday.
Mourners lined the entrance to a cemetery in the city as the hearse carrying her body arrived and was taken to a crematorium where more people had gathered. They silently raised their hands in three-finger salutes - a sign of defiance and resistance adopted from neighbouring Thailand - as the black-and-gold vehicle slowly rolled past.
Protesters elsewhere in Myanmar
gathered again on Sunday for street demonstrations that have been going on for more than two weeks. In Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, about 1,000 demonstrators began the day by honouring Mya Khine at a mourning ceremony. There were also protests in Myawaddy, on the border with Thailand, and at Inle Lake.
UN condemns junta
A lethal attack on protesters sparked fresh UN condemnation of the country’s new military regime on Sunday. United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres condemned the use of “deadly violence” against the crowd in Mandalay. “The use of lethal force, intimidation & harassment against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable,” Guterres tweeted.
Later, Myanmar’s foreign ministry accused the UN and foreign countries of “flagrant interference” in its internal affairs.
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