Farmers' demands legitimate, Centre should consider them: Kejriwal

Kejriwal requested the Union Government to consider the demands of farmers protesting against the three farm laws

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday requested the Centre to consider the demands of farmers protesting against the three farm laws, saying it will not be "bowing down" before anyone if it does so.

"We are celebrating the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh. He made the supreme sacrifice for the freedom of the nation. He did not fight for freedom for a day when farmers have to sit on the streets and protest for a year to get their demands considered," he said on the sidelines of an event to launch a tourism app for Delhi at the secretariat.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farm unions, gave a call for a Bharat Bandh on Monday. It marks a year of President Ram Nath Kovind giving his assent to the three controversial laws and 10 months since thousands of farmers set up camp at Delhi's border points to voice their protest.

"The (central) government should consider their demands. Considering farmers' demands will not be like bowing down in front of anyone as farmers are also people of our country," Kejriwal said.

Farmers mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been protesting on the borders of the national capital since November 2020.

The Delhi chief minister said farmers are being forced to protest and call for Bharat Bandh again and again to raise their demands.

Their demands are legitimate, and the Centre should consider them, he said.

At another event, Kejriwal said it was “sad” that farmers have to call for a Bharat Bandh on the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh to press for their demands.

"If farmers are not heard in independent India, where will they be heard? I appeal to the central government to consider their demands as soon as possible," he said after garlanding the statues of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru at the Delhi Assembly.

Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party has also extended support to the Bharat Bandh call.

PTI