'Condolence meets' across Delhi to honour dead farmers

New Delhi, Dec. 20 (IANS): The protests by farmers camping at the borders of the national capital entered the 25th day on Sunday while opposing the new Union farm laws. To pay tribute to the farmers who lost their lives during this agitation, 'condolence meets' are being organised at different places in Delhi on Sunday which would be observed on the same day as the 'Martyrdom Day' of Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Guru Teg Bahadur was the ninth Sikh Guru who sacrificed his life for humanity and Sikhism.

Punjab farmer leader Gurvinder Singh, associated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), said tribute is being paid to the farmers who lost their lives during the farmer agitation fighting for their basic rights. He informed that condolence meetings are being held in other parts of the country, including Punjab and Haryana.

Major Singh Punawal, General Secretary of Punjab's All India Kisan Sabha, arrived at a condolence meet held in Delhi. Punawal told IANS that since the ordinance relating to the three new farm laws came into effect in June, farmers have been opposing the laws and honour the memory of those farmers who laid down their lives amid the farmer agitation by organising condolence meets across the country.

Punawal said that later on Sunday afternoon, there would be a meeting of farmer organisations at the Singhu border in which the strategy and action plans ahead would be extensively discussed. Asked on the talks with the Central government, he said, "We are always ready to talk to the government provided the government tells us that it will consider rollback of all the three farm laws."

In the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the three ordinances related to three crucial agricultural Bills were introduced in the Parliament and after approval of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the three laws -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, came into force in September.

Farmers' organisations, which have been camping at the borders of Delhi since November 26, have been demanding withdrawal of all three farm laws while the government has proposed amendments involving issues related to the interests of farmers.

Meanwhile, on December 17, Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar wrote a letter to the farmers, accusing the opposition parties of misleading the farmers while referring to the benefits to the farmers from these laws. In response to this letter, a letter was written on behalf of the protesting farmers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tomar on Saturday in which they have responded to all the allegations made by the government.

Why is PM silent on death of 33 protesting farmers — Congress

Blaming the Centre for the death of 33 farmers during their ongoing protest, the Congress on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" on the issue amid the farmers' sit-in on the Delhi borders since November 26.

The All India Kisan Sabha observed Sunday as 'Shradhanjali Divas' to commemorate the death of 33 farmers in accidents or due to illness and cold weather conditions ever since they started protesting on Delhi borders against the three central farm laws.

"Why hasn't Modi uttered a single word? Why is our Prime Minister 'maun' (silent)? Our 'annadatas' (food providers) are sitting on the Delhi borders along with their wives and children in one of the coldest winters Delhi has experienced, but our Union Home Minister Amit Shah has no time for them but has time to go to West Bengal," Congress spokesperson Shama Mohammed said at a press conference here.

"Thirty-three farmers have died due to extreme cold and ailments. The Modi government is responsible for their deaths.... It is very cold even sitting inside a house; we need heaters; now, they are on the roads out there.

"They say that the PM is a man who loves this country, who loves his people; he can just visit them and console them and their families. Just imagine what farmers' families and children are going through. Where is Modi's empathy?"

Commenting on the Prime Minister's visit to Gurdwara Rakabganj near Parliament House here, the Congress leader said: "It is always a good thing to go to a gurdwara or a temple... we all Indians are very spiritual people and I appreciate the Prime Minister's visit there to pay obeisance to the 9th Sikh master, Guru Tegh Bahadur...."

"Instead of just going to religious places, which we understand is a good thing, Modi must also visit the protesting farmers and listen to them. Give justice to these farmers and repeal these black laws; re-enact new agricultural laws in consultation with farmers, opposition parties and other stakeholders," Shama added.

Pointing to the Hathras case, the Congress leader alleged that the "callousness of the central government is on full display".

"On the one hand, lakhs of farmers are waiting for justice and on the other, you have the most gruesome gang rape and murder, and a cover-up by the state in the 73-year history of independent India," she remarked.

"The CBI charge sheet in the Hathras case confirmed that the young woman was gang-raped and murdered but Modi, Amit Shah and CM Yogi Adityanath are quiet," Shama added.