Calling the laws “Anti-Farmer”, Maharashtra farmers stood in solidarity with agitating farmers of Punjab and Haryana at the Delhi borders, the farmers from Maharashtra will stage agitation on December 3 to oppose the three farm laws. More than a hundred farmers staged a protest against the Centre’s recently passed new farm laws. The farmers across India standing in solidarity with their counterparts from Punjab who have taken out a “Delhi Chalo” march to voice their opposition to the new agriculture legislation. Meanwhile, the coordination committee of the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sangharsh Samiti announced that they will join the agitation on 3rd December.
Already the Shiv Sena led Maha Vikas Aghadi government has deferred the implementation of three Central farm laws and appointed a cabinet sub-committee to examine the provisions and suggest recommendations. The state government plans to enact legislation making a mandatory payment of minimum support price by traders with a penal provision in case of non-compliance. The minister of state for agriculture Bachhu Kadu has extended his support to the farmers who were stopped at the Delhi borders protesting against the three Central laws and farmer policies. Kadu has warned that if the Centre fails to arrive at an understanding with the agitating farmers he would march with thousands of farmers to Delhi.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) activists led by national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait reached the UP-Gate bordering Delhi to stage protests in the national capital. The All India Kisan Sabha state general secretary Dr Ajit Nawale said that various pro-farmers’ organizations, which have come together under the sponsorship of the Samiti, would take out protest marches in every district at the offices of the district collector and tahsildar. Further, the Samiti will also press for the withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill moved by the Centre terming it anti farmers. The Samiti has appealed to the people of the state to participate in the proposed agitation on December 3.
A farmer from Maharashtra Balasaheb Biradar told Afternoon Voice, “This lockdown has torn us apart, no transportation, no storage and no buyers. Most of our crops have gone rotten, above all this bill that is not in favour of Farmers, I have decided to join agitation to support my fellow farmers of Punjab”.
Parmeshvar Shere, a Young Farmer from Latur said “It is sad to see the treatment given to agitating farmers on Delhi borders, the government should at least listen to them. Brutalizing farmers will not solve the purpose, you can’t stop them. You have to find some mid-way. I may not be against the bill but I am against the atrocities”.
Sheshrao Shere of Dhanegaon, Maharashtra said, “PM Modi Ji always emphasized that the Government of India is always committed to protecting the interest of farmers and is always open for discussions intended for our welfare, the organizations should show some maturity and volunteer the talks’. In such protests there is always human loss, we are farmers who pour lives into people by growing crops for them, and have no right to compromise any life by any means”.
Around 15,000 women including the elderly have joined the farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s agriculture-related laws, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) leader Shingara Singh said.
“Women are giving their immense support to the ongoing agitation against the farm laws,” said Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) leader Harinder Kaur Bindu. A large number of women have stayed put at the Tikri border in Haryana near West Delhi. Away from their homes, the women are determined to accomplish their aim of getting the ‘black laws’ scrapped, they said.
