Agencies
New Delhi, December 20:
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will meet farmers agitating at the borders of the national capital for repeal of three farm laws on Monday or Tuesday to end their stir, said Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday after a roadshow in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.
“I am not exactly aware of the timing but Tomar is likely to meet the representatives of farmers tomorrow or the day after to discuss their demands,” Shah said at a press conference in Bolpur.
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee supports farmers’ protest but doesn’t allow cultivators of Bengal to get benefits of Central schemes, said Shah.
“Political violence is at its peak in Bengal. More than 300 BJP workers have been killed and there has been no progress in investigation of the deaths,” said Shah about the state that will witness assembly polls next year.
“The way TMC workers attacked our national president during his Bengal tour, BJP condemns it and I condemn it too personally. BJP believes that in a democracy everyone should have the right to voice their views,” added Shah.
Meanwhile, leaders of several farmers’ unions have appealed to people in the country to bang utensils to drown out Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat on 27 December.
“On December 27, the Prime Minister will speak in his Mann Ki Baat. The same way the PM had asked the country to bang utensils for Corona, we appeal to the entire country to bang utensils in your houses throughout the duration of his program to drown out his Mann Ki Baat,” Jagjit Singh Dalewala, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union said.
Earlier in March, PM Modi had appealed to citizens to come out to their balconies and clap their hands and clang utensils to express their gratitude to the medical professionals combating the coronavirus outbreak.
The farmer leader further said that they had also decided to make the Haryana toll plaza free from 25-27 December.
Farmers have been protesting at different borders of Delhi since 26 November against the three newly enacted farm laws- 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) Act, 2020.
“Farmers will begin a day-long relay hunger strike on Monday at all sites of protest against the new agri laws. It will be started by a team of 11 members at protests sites here,” Swaraj India Chief Yogendra Yadav said at a press conference at the Singhu border.
He also urged people demonstrating against the laws across the country to observe a day-long hunger strike at their respective protest sites.
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, who was also part of the press conference along with Yadav and Dalewala, said that farmers protesting the new agri laws will celebrate Kisan Diwas on December 23 and “we request people to not cook lunch for a day”.
