New Delhi: A day before taking out a tractor rally, the farmers protesting against the Centre’s three farm laws on Monday announced their plans to intensify their agitation.
“On February 1, we will march on foot towards Parliament in Delhi from different locations,” said Darshan Pal from the Krantikari Kisan Union, one of the nearly 40 groups protesting near Delhi. The stir has been going on for two months now.
To put pressure on the government to withdraw these laws, the farmers have adopted different techniques since their protest launched on November 26. In December, they had organised a nationwide strike, blocking key roads in cities across the country.
The protesters have been engaged in talks with the government, and so far 11 rounds have been held but the deadlock is still continuing.
The farmers are camping along three border points near Delhi – Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur – and have said they won’t leave until the government rolls back what they call the “black laws”. The Centre has categorically said that the laws won’t be repealed; it has, however, agreed to suspend its impelentation for one-and-a-half years.
Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Monday that this is the best offer and the farmers should reconsider.
The government has said that the three laws pased in September are meant to overhaul procurement procedures and grant them more options to sell their produce. But the farmers say that these laws will hurt farm incomes and leave them vulnerable to big corporations.
The three farm laws are: 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.