- Cutting across political lines, leaders join the protest to extend their support to the farmers
- Hundreds of farmers reach Jantar Mantar on the Parliament Street on the second day of the Kisan Mukti March
- Farmers are demanding the implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee report, increased MSPs and a special Parliament session to discuss two bills
The demands that have been put up by the farmers are quite straight forward. According to a Scroll report, they are demanding the implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee report, increased minimum support price (MSP).
The farmers also want a special Parliament session to discuss two Bills – Farmers’ Freedom from Indebtedness Bill, 2018, and Farmers’ Right to Guaranteed Remunerative Minimum Support Prices for Agricultural Commodities Bill, 2018.
Apart from the security arrangements made by the police, volunteers in Delhi will be at hand to provide the farmers with food, water and medical assistance.
Overnight camps are being set up at several locations, for the farmers to be able to rest.
Doctors will have also a base at Ramlila Maidan on Thursday to provide their services to farmers on both days.
The farmers will walk to the Ramlila Maidan from five different locations in the National Capital. Following are the exact routes:
- Bijwasan to Ramlila Maidan - 9 am
- Hazrat Nizammuddin to Ramlila Maidan - 11am
- Sabzi Mandi station to Ramlila Maidan - 11 am
- ANVT terminus to Ramlila Maidan - 12 pm
- Majnu ka Tila to Ramlila Maidan - 12 pm
The two-day protests by farmers began as the rally started walking towards the Ramlila Maidan from Delhi’s Bijwasan.
Yadav further demanded two things – first, there should be a law that ensures that farmers get an MSP on their crop. Second, the government should initiate the loan waivers, at least once for every farmer.
Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav was seen leading the charge as the protest march continued after a short break at Delhi’s Mahipalpur. The protestors are marching towards the Ramlila Maidan.
Another lady told us that the loans are skyrocketing. She pays her tractor’s loan from what she makes from her crop. However, if the crop fails, she doesn’t get insurance or any sort of compensation for her crop. According to her, all the government schemes are a cover, to earn profit for the insurance companies.
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Visuals from the Ramlila Maidan where the farmers spent the night. Today is the second day of protests, the farmers will march to the Parliament Street to press for the implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee report, increased MSP and a Parliament session to discuss two Bills.
The Delhi traffic police, on Friday, issued an advisory saying demonstrations will close the traffic movement on the Sansad Marg, and asked people to avoid the stretch.
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Journalist Palagummi Sainath, while talking to The Quint expressed the hardships that the farmers of today are going through. He said that in the last 14 years, not one hour has been given to discuss the report on agrarian crisis, further demanding a comprehensive discussion in the Indian Parliament.
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Now he is the Prime Minister, but we still didn’t get our land (officially).
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According to the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal are also expected to join in on the Kisan March in the National Capital.
Leaders from other prominent political parties have joined in on the demonstrations in Delhi.
KC Tyagi from JD(U), Dinesh Trivedi from TMC and membes of the Communist Party of India (CPI), and Samajwadi Party are also expected to join in later in the day.
We need to change the farming situation today. Those in power have no sympathy for the farmers.Sharad Pawar, NCP President
Loktantrik Janata Dal Chief Sharad Yadav joins other politicians in extending support to the farmers.
Other prominent leaders, including Farooq Abdullah and D Raja are present. Reports say Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to address the gathering soon and Congresss President Rahul Gandhi will join the demonstration later in the day.
Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mewani and student activist Kanhaiya Kumar are also at Jantar Mantar.
In the run-up to the 2019 general elections, Gandhi says that there are two major issues in the country – the farmers’ future and the availability of jobs for the youth.
With leaders from several political parties present at the protest, Gandhi says, “Although of different ideologies, all political parties are united for farmers.”
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