Farmer Leader Vows to Resume March to Delhi by Noon

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher stated that a group of farmers will proceed ‘peacefully’ towards Delhi as part of their ongoing protest.

Speaking to ANI, farmer leader Pandher stated that the government must arrange a talk if it is serious about resolving the matter.

“Our third group, headed by Jaswinder Singh Longowal and Malkit Singh, will proceed from here peacefully, sharp at 12,” Pandher said.

“We are receiving information from Khanauri that Jagjit Singh Dallewal is not keeping well. The whole country is worried about his health except for the PM and Home Minister. Neither are they worried about our Delhi march, nor are they worried about what’s happening in Khanauri… We believe that forming a committee is not a solution to our problem. If the government wants to arrive at a solution, they must arrange talks with us,” he added.

Ambala Deputy Commissioner, Parth Gupta had already clarified that the farmers have not received the permission to protest in Delhi.

“…They have not received the permission to protest in Delhi… If you (farmers) have the required permission, you can go ahead but if not, we will have to stop you… We appeal to the farmers to maintain peace,” Deputy Commissioner Gupta said.

Earlier, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said, “The government has failed. It should hold talks. The hunger strike should end…”

Notably, farmers are asking for a charter of 12 demands, including MSP for crops to be met by the state and Union governments.

Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has taken on the Congress and the opposition parties on the issue of minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Responding to the Congress’ claim of support to farmers and its promise to give MSP to farmers, Saini said that the Congress governments in Himachal and Telangana had failed to buy crops at MSP.

“In the last 10 years, we have bought crops on MSP. The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana cannot say that they will buy crops on 100 per cent MSP. People have understood their reality. In a month, AAP will also start talking about the EVMs. People have rejected them,” Saini said. (ANI)

Sarwan Singh Pandher

Farmer Leader Sarwan Pandher Calls ‘Rail Roko’ Protest Successful

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Monday claimed that the nationwide ‘Rail Roko’ protest by the farmer unions to press for a host of demands was ‘successful’.

The ‘rail roko’ protest was staged on Sunday, between 12 noon and 4 pm, amid the ‘Delhi Chalo’ call by the agitating farmers.

Speaking to ANI on Monday, the farmer leader said, “A rail blockade was successfully enforced across six states yesterday. It was our most successful programme since we launched the protests. As for our strategy or roadmap going forward, we will hold a meeting soon and flesh out the details. The strategy will be decided by both our forums in the meeting.”

Farmers, who have been protesting for almost a month now after putting forward a host of demands that include a legal guarantee on MSP for their produce, withdrawal of police cases and loan write-offs, among others, squatted on railway tracks at many places in Punjab on Sunday as part of the ‘rail roko’ protest called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

Farmers blocked several railway tracks, including the one at Jalandhar Cantt.

The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and the Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana after their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march was stopped by security personnel on February 13.

Among the other demands put forward by the protesters are pensions for farmers and farm labourers, debt waivers and no hike in electricity tariff.

During the last round of talks with the farmers’ delegation, which ended past midnight on February 18, the panel of three Union ministers made an offer to buy five crops–moong dal, urad dal, tur dal, maize, and cotton–from farmers at MSP for five years through central agencies.

However, the protesting farmers turned down the offer and returned to their protest sites. (ANI)

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