New Delhi: As the farmer agitation against the Centre's three farm laws enters its hundredth day on Saturday, union leaders have asserted that their movement is far from over and they are "going strong".
Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of farmer unions which has been heading the protests from Singhu Border has announced to observe the completion if 100 days of struggle by blocking the KMP Expressway on Saturday between 11 am to 4 pm.
Toll plazas at the KMP will also be freed up on Saturday as announced by protesting farmers.
The farmers' body also appealed for nationwide demonstrations by putting a black flag on houses, shops, vehicles and even black bands on the arms to show their support to the farmers' movement and mark their protest against the government.
More than 250 farmers have died since the protests at Delhi borders started as claimed by the Kisan Morcha.
With protests entering the 100th day, this will be one of the longest-running farmers' protests in the country.
Despite diminishing crowd at the protest sites, farmer leaders claim that the outreach of their movement is increasing through Mahapanchayats being organised in the different districts.
So far the Kisan Mahapanchayats have been organised mostly in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttrakhand but Kisan Morcha has announced that from March 12 onwards, they will enter the five states where assembly elections are scheduled this month.
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"This government only understands the language of votes and power because they are power-hungry. So we have decided to give them 'Vote ki Chot' by requesting people not to vote for the BJP and their allies in these assembly elections. We also want to make it clear that we are not going to support or seek votes for any political party. Our focus is our movement against the three farm laws but since this government is not paying any heed to the demands of farmers, now the farmers will teach them a lesson by not supporting them in these states" said Abhimanyu Johar, Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader who also has been part of farmers delegation which participated in 12 round of talks with the government.
After the incidents of violence during the tractor parade organised by the farmers' group on Republic Day, the deadlock between the government and the protesting farmers continue with no indications of resuming talks in the coming days.
In order to mount more pressure on the government, Kisan Morcha has been planning and executing a series of activities to mobilise more support for their movement from across the country and their entry into poll-bound states is also being seen as yet another effort to pressurize the BJP to reconsider their demands.
"People are turning up at Kisan Mahapanchayats in huge numbers and that is an evident fact that farmers do not want these three laws which have been brought to support only big private companies and corporate houses. Farmers will continue to protest at Delhi Borders till the three farm laws are not repealed and the law for MSP guarantee is not assured by this government. We are trying to build more pressure so that they consider our demands. PM says that government is a call away from farmers but farmers are still waiting for that call from the government side," said Hanan Mollah, General Secretary All India Kisan Sabha who also has been one of the prominent faces of the Farmers movement.
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The government on the other hand has not initiated any discussion for sending a fresh proposal to the farmers to resume talks.
Sources from the agriculture ministry said that the best offer from the government side was to suspend the three laws for one and a half years and then discussions with farmers on the issues related to the laws.
The government could extend the suspension of farm laws for up to 2 years but the farmers did not accept that and also denied to hold a clause by clause discussion on the issues.
This is the reason why the deadlock between the government and the protesting farmer unions seems to be never-ending.
The entry of farmers into the poll-bound states is being seen as a move to create more pressure on the government to initiate talks.
All eyes will be on Mahapanchayat on March 12 in Kolkata as the strength of the farmers' movement here might change things for the protesting Kisan Morcha.
Also Read: 18-year-old protestor dies at Singhu border
