Farmers’ stir continues, Beniwal walks out of LS
An organisation snaps ties with Sanyukt Morcha but will protest against three farm laws
JAIPUR/BHARATPUR Farmers’ organisations continued their protest against the Centre’s three laws at Shahjahanpur in Rajasthan’s Alwar district on Friday and RLP leader and MP Hanuman Beniwal staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha demanding repeal of the legislations.
Meanwhile, Kisan Mahapanchayat leader Rampal Jat announced his organsation’s separation from the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of around 40 farmers’ unions leading the protests, after the violence by some farmers in Delhi on the Republic Day. He, however, said Mahapanchayat’s protest against the farm laws will continue.
“The fact that the person who instigated the farmers on the
R-day has not been arrested reveals that the conspiracy was hatched by the government,” he alleged.
Farmers’ oranisations blame actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu of Punjab for instigating the violence on R-day.
Jat said the kisan yatra will continue across all the districts but not on roads.
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) leader Beniwal walked out of parliament during the president’s address to the budget session, showed a placard and raised slogans, demanding repealing of the laws.
“The government of India should withdraw the laws or else this public movement would intensify. The farmers are protesting in a non-violent manner and the government should meet their demands. We earlier supported the NDA thinking that they would listen to farmers and youth, but this government is anti-farmer,” he said. “The RLP condemns what happened at Lal Quila.”
All India Kisan Sabha national vice-president Amra Ram said those who foisted flags at Lal Quila were not part of Sanyukt Morcha. “The government has adopted a strategy to suppress the farmers. They disconnected water and electricity supply to the protest sites but had to restore it with the return of farmers. We will keep a day-long fast on Saturday. Our dharna will continue till the demands are met,” he said.
Meanwhile, farmers led by Manudev Sinsini staged a protest in Bharatpur, burning an effigy of the Centre.
The farmers gathered at the power house in support of BKU leader Rakesh Tikait who is leading the agitation at Ghazipur border. “Farmers will will move in thousands to Delhi on February 1 to join others. Farmers are 65% of the country’s population of the and capable to teach a lesson to the government,” he said.
BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said some people are trying to hijack the farmers’ movement. “Real farmers are not in support of the agitation and those who earlier supported the agitation are now leaving these unions,” he said. “When the laws were introduced in parliament, Beniwal did not oppose, but now he is opposing. It’s hard to understand why? The government is open to have a dialogue with the farmers,” he said.