by Peerzada Arshad Hamid
NEW DELHI, Jun 27 (NNN-XINHUA) – As farmers’ protest in India, against the three contentious farm laws, entered the eighth straight month, thousands of farmers from Haryana and Punjab embarked on a march towards Chandigarh, officials said.
Farmers from Haryana will enter Chandigarh, the capital of the two neighbouring states, from the Panchkula side, and those from Punjab, arrived after breaking police barricades and facing water cannons.
Farmers from the two states intend to submit memorandums to their respective state governors, seeking a repeal of the new, controversial farm laws.
The farmers’ protest, until yesterday, lasted for seven months, and so far, no breakthrough has been achieved. Both the federal government and the protesting farmers have been adamant on their respective positions.
On the borders of the national capital, protesting farmers have been camping since Nov 26, last year.
Police in Delhi yesterday tightened security arrangements along the city borders, in view of anticipated protest march by the farmers. Authorities have shut down three main stations of the Delhi Metro for four hours yesterday.
“As advised by Delhi Police, in view of security reasons, three Metro stations of Yellow Line, namely, Vishwavidyalaya, Civil Lines and Vidhan Sabha will remain closed from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. today,” Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said, in a statement.
Reports said, thousands of farmers from Saharanpur and Sisauli in western Uttar Pradesh, reached the Ghazipur gate, led by BKU spokesperson, Rakesh Tikait.
India’s federal agriculture Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar yesterday said, farmers should end their agitation against the new agricultural laws.
“I want to tell all the farmers unions, they should end their agitation. The government of India is also ready to discuss and redress any provision of law,” the minister said.
Singh had chaired 11 inconclusive rounds of talks with the protesting farmers.
The farmers have been protesting against the three newly enacted farm laws – the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.– NNN-XINHUA
