New Delhii: Farmers agitating for repeal of detrimental farm laws enacted by the Centre will today block major roads around the country between 11 am and 3 pm on Saturday. The demonstration would be the largest since the farmers’ parade staged in the capital on Republic day.
Farmers in large numbers camped at Delhi borders made their way to villages to ensure success of blockades there.
Since highways to Delhi would remain blockaded, there would be no road-blocking inside of the city. Exempted from blockades are : ambulances, school buses and other essential vehicles. Motorists who might become stranded owing to the stir would be provided water and food by the farmers. The picketing will end at 3 pm, the Joint Kissan Morcha informed.
Roads to hundreds of centres will be blocked in the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Blockades will be effected at district and taluk centres in Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra and Bihar. Protests will be held in villages across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Bengal. State and national highways in northeaster states including Assam will be picketed. Road blockades will be carried out in states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha etc. Demonstrations will be held in UP and Uttarakhand.
Protest Gatherings in Kerala
As part of the stir, protest gatherings will be organised at panchayat centres across Kerala on Saturday. There will be demonstratons in front of all central government offices at all panchayats.
Threats For Those Volunteering Support
In states ruled by BJP, the governments have issue severe threats against participating in the protests or lending any kind of support. The Uttarakhand govt has warned of confiscating passports and cancelling gun licenses of those joining the stir. Other damning denials threatened include : bank loans, government jobs, govt contracts and mandated police verification in concerned cases.
Overriding threats, thousands converged at UP’s Shaamil to hold Mahapanchayat. Mahapanchayats to show solidarity with farmers were also held in Mussafar Nagar, Bagpath, Buland Dhahar and Jind.
In the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Agriculture, Narendra Singh Thomar, stated that farm laws were not frozen owing any inherent lapse. The farm unions failed to point out any drawback in the laws, he said. There is just one state that opposes the laws designed for benefit of farmers, Thomar said - a reflection of centre’s take on the detrimental legislations.
