Hundreds of Farmers Conduct Farmers’ Parliament at Jantar Mantar to Repeal Farm Laws

For the last eight months, tens of thousands of agricultural labourers and farmers are protesting against three farm laws brought by the BJP ruled Union government.

sansad
Image: Tractor2Twitr/ Twitter

For the last eight months, tens of thousands of agricultural labourers and farmers from all across India have been camping out on several Delhi borders protesting against three farm laws brought by the BJP ruled Union government.

On Thursday around 200 farmers reached Jantar Mantar, an important protest site in Central Delhi to protest against the three farms laws brought by BJP ruled Union government.

The farmers are demanding that the Modi government must repeal the laws during the monsoon session of the Indian Parliament which commenced on July 19 and will end on August 9. Farmers have received special permission for the demonstration by Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal. The protest at Jantar Mantar will continue till the end of the session.

Meanwhile, the Delhi police which operates under the orders of the Union government has put barricades on both sides of the area and is keeping a check on vehicles.

The farmers started with ID cards and union flags from the Singhu border protest site and were escorted to the protest site by the police. Farmers have said that more than once their IDs were checked by the security forces which delayed their arrival in the capital.

Rapid Action Force, a specialised unit of the Central Reserve Police Force, is present carrying riot shields and batons. A water cannon and metal-detector gates have been deployed at the site, Economic Times reported.

Meanwhile, the journalists and media persons who do not hold Press Information Bureau (PIB) cards are not being allowed to enter the protest area to cover the demonstrations.

 

Many of the journalists continue to sit outside Jantar Mantar as the police continue to refuse them entry.

Refuting the claims of the Modi government, farmers have consistently explained that the new laws center on the profit accumulation motive of large corporates by freeing them to procure farm goods outside government-regulated wholesale grain markets which will weaken the bargaining power of the farmers and exploit them.

Read More: Three Farm Laws to Nurture Large Corporates and Not Farmers or Consumers

‘We will hold ‘Kisan Sansad’ at Jantar Mantar. We will monitor Parliament proceedings,’ Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Takait said, ANI reported.

The gathered farmers are conducting a ‘Kisan Sansad (Farmers’ Parliament)’ under the open sky at Jantar Mantar where farmer leaders are demanding the government to roll back the laws.

Opposition political parties have also come in the support of the protest. 20 MPs from Kerala arrived at Jantar Mantar in solidarity with the protestors.

Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, after staying away from the farmers’ protests for months came out in solidarity on Thursday.

 

Also read: How do the Modi Government’s Farm Laws Violate the UN Declaration?

Donate

Independent journalism can’t be independent without your support, contribute by clicking below.

March 2024
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here