Chennai: Protesting farmers in Delhi have commenced a day-long hunger strike, as the agitation enters the 19th day today.
Also, the Singhu border in Delhi is all set to see an unprecedented crowd, as 10,000 more protesters are expected to join the demonstrations.
Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni said on Sunday, “The hunger strike will be from 8 am to 5 pm. The protests will intensify from 14 December. Dharnas will be staged at all district headquarters across the country”.
“There are groups that are ending protest and saying they are in favour of laws passed by the government. We want to clarify that they are not associated with us. They have been hand-in-gloves with the government, they conspired to sabotage our protest. A conspiracy is being hatched to derail the ongoing farmers’ protest,” added Chaduni.
Farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka said “government agencies have been stopping farmers from reaching Delhi, but the protest will continue till their demands are met. Our stand is clear, we want the three farm laws repealed. All farmer unions participating in this movement are together,” he said.
Union Minister Kailash Choudhary on the other hand, said the government will soon decide a date and call union leaders for the next round of talks.
Previous five rounds of talks remained inconclusive. The sixth round of talks did not take place after farmer leaders rejected the government’s draft proposal to amend certain provisions of the farm laws and declined to participate in the meeting.
The government has made it clear that it is ready for discussion anytime. But the farmer unions have said they would come for talks only if the laws are repealed.