Farm protests thinning, Punjab mahapanchayats off |
As the crowds of Punjab farmers started to thin out at the Singhu and Tikri protest sites on the Delhi-Haryana border, Punjab`s farmers` leaders decided to cancel their plans for large mahapanchayat gatherings in their state and mobilize people to come to Delhi instead. They hope that large mobilization for a countrywide “rail roko” ( stop trains) protest on coming Friday will prove a turning point in their demands for the government to repeal three farm reform laws and give them a legal guarantee for remunerative prices. The decision was taken at a meeting of 32 Punjab unions at the Singhu border on 16th February. Bharatiya Kisan Union-Dakaunda said it was more important to strengthen the protest in Delhi than to hold large gatherings in Punjab itself. He appealed to all unions and protestors to cancel plans for mahapanchayats in the state. The All India Kisan Sabha also urged Punjab`s villagers to collect money and travel together to Delhi as the movement was losing momentum in the Capital. The wider umbrella front of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which includes unions from Punjab and elsewhere has been actively promoting mahapanchayats, especially in Haryana, Rajasthan, western U.P., Madhya Pradesh, and as far as Telangana. Talks between Central ministers and union leaders broke down on January 22. The unions also plan to mark three months of their Dilli Chalo ( move to Delhi) campaign on February 26. Union leaders urged youngsters to go to the fields for harvest, and leave the senior citizens to come to Delhi. Water and electricity for fans and coolers are being arranged to cope with the approaching summer.
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