Thousands of farmers protesting against the Center’s controversial farm laws at Singhu border have planned to carry a huge demonstration today to block the Delhi-Jaipur highway as they vowed to intensify their agitation.
Today's demonstration will be followed by an all-India hunger strike on Monday when the demonstrators plan to hold protests at district offices. Over 40,000 cops were stationed in Gurgaon and Haryana on Saturday to stop the farmers from occupying highways.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday assured the agitating farmers that the new laws are meant to bring reforms and increase farmers' income.
Key points:-
- Farmers from Rajasthan and Haryana are expected to start their rally to the national capital via National Highway-48 (Delhi-Chennai highway). A huge crowd of protesters were stopped from blocking the main highway from Delhi to Agra on Saturday. "We're fully prepared to control the protests from escalating," said a senior Gurgaon cop.
- As protester threatens to intensify the agitation a group of 29 farmer leaders from Haryana met Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday to present their support for the new farm bills. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Mann) leader Guni Prakash told reporters after the meeting, "We will also protest if the government repeals the laws. We have given a memorandum to all districts.”
- Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, a BJP ally, in a surprising statement on Saturday, said that a breakthrough in deadlock over controversial legislation is anticipated to take place in the next 24 to 48 hours. The minister said, "I'm hopeful that there will be talks between the centre and the farmers, will be fruitful. I'm hopeful that in the next 24 to 48 hours, there will be a final round of talks and the two sides will reach a conclusive solution.”
- Prime Minister Modi gave a message to the farmers on Saturday, he said: "We've to take all these initiatives to increase the farmers' income and make them more prosperous. Reforms will help draw investment in agriculture and benefit farmers."
- The Supreme Court on Wednesday will be hearing three petitions related to the farmer’s protests.
1. One petition has been submitted by a Delhi student which says the protestors are blocking emergency health services required to tackle the covid pandemic.
2. Second petition demands compensation for the farmers on whom force was used amid demonstrations.
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3. Third petition says the protesters should be allowed to enter Delhi.
Earlier this week, the protesting farmers collectively declined the centre's written offer of amendments in three new farm laws and declared a series of plans to increase their protest. Farmers say they want all the three laws to be scrapped. On Friday, Bharatiya Kisan Union had filed a plea in the SC seeking repeal of all the farm bills.