Farmers' union extends support to fight against pandemic

SKM leaders met with Haryana government officials to hold discussions over the removal of barricades on one side of the highway at Singhu Border to make free passage for emergency services amid the corona crisis.

New Delhi:Leaders of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) held a detailed discussion with Haryana Government officials on Thursday over the removal of barricades on one side of the highway at Singhu Border to give free passage to oxygen, ambulance and other emergency services. With the move, the farmers extended their support in the fight against the covid pandemic.

The meeting was attended by Sonepat Superintendent of Police, Chief Medical Officer and other officials.

During the meeting, SKM asserted that the protesting farmers are committed to causing the least inconvenience to ordinary citizens.

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"While the BJP-led government has accused the protesting farmers of obstructing oxygen supply to Delhi, it has been observed that the police are misleading oxygen-carrying trucks towards the protest sites instead of directing them to the shortest route," the leaders alleged adding that the government was behind barricading the roads and obstructing free vehicular movement at all protest sites.

Farmers are preparing to return to protest sites in large numbers on April 23 as part of Operation Shakti to counter the Centre's Operation Clean. A large convoy of protestors including women, associated with Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti, in tractor trolleys will be leaving from Barwasni in the Sonepat district of Haryana, for Singhu Border.

Talking about the migrant workers joining farmers' stir, the leaders stated that migrant workers have not been invited to boost numbers of protestors at Delhi Borders but rather to extend support to these distressed workers as depending upon insensitive government at the Centre will doom them and they will never find employment at their villages.

"At the protest sites, farmers would be happy to share food and shelter with the migrant workers without any fear of the spread of covid infection.

After normalcy is restored, migrant workers can get back to their workplaces, and through this, they can save unnecessary travel costs. Eventually, we hope that the unity of farmers with workers will be reinforced," they added.

Meanwhile, in yet another meeting organised by the Geneva Press Club on Wednesday, leaders of Samyukt Kisan Morcha pointed out that the only solution to the current deadlock is to re-initiate formal dialogue, repeal the farm laws and bring in an MSP guarantee law immediately.

Read:|Samyukt Kisan Morcha writes to President, seeks unconditional release of arrested farmers

The leaders noted that the Modi government has violated the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants.

Addressing media, Swiss Parliamentarian Nicolas Walder expressed his admiration for the ongoing peaceful struggle and stated that there will be no solution for farmers if the industry is led by agri-business corporations. He said that the anti-farm laws protests in India are deeply inspiring for the future of the farmers community globally.

"Farmers are even forced to protest for gunny bags and wheat procurement in Punjab. In Haryana, police clashed with farmers to evict them from Asoda toll plaza but failed to remove them," SKM leaders said.

Farmers protesting the Centre’s farm laws also disrupted a meeting of BJP workers in Patiala on Thursday a short while before party vice-president Harjit Singh Grewal’s arrival.

The farmers' stir is gaining momentum all across the world. Recently, Vancouver City Council had passed a motion in solidarity with the protesting Indian farmers, and Vancouver Mayor has appealed to the Canadian government to reach out to the government of India over its support for Indian farmers.

Read:|Tikait says farmers will not vacate protest sites until three agriculture laws are withdrawn