Vibha sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 6
While farmer ‘jathebandis’ and unions today outlined details of the December 8 ‘Bharat bandh’, the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh announced its opposition, saying “such demonstrations always prove detrimental to the nation and farmers”.
The RSS affiliate, which has been supporting the farmers’ stir against the three Central Acts, said now that the Modi government had agreed to amendments, farmer unions should take what was being offered to them “gracefully and respectfully”. “What is the ‘aqalmandi’ (sensibility) in rejecting what is being offered in a respectful manner? They should have accepted the offer, ”BKS general secretary Badri Narayan Chaudhary said.
BKS leaders opine that while the demonstration is going on in a peaceful manner, “it is evident that certain anti-social elements, external forces and some political parties are manoeuvring the demonstration towards acrimony”.
Recollecting the 2017 Mandsaur incidents in which six farmers were shot dead, Chaudhary said, “Leaders of that movement eventually became legislatures and ministers in the government while families of farmers were ruined. We asked Punjab ‘jathebandis’ and unions to postpone ‘Bharat bandh’, but they declined. It is obvious that some other forces are calling the shots. “
He also questioned why Punjab farmers were demanding to repeal the central laws when the Punjab Government had already nullified these. Organizing secretary Dinesh Kulkarni said the ongoing agitation on Delhi borders “is no longer a farmers’ movement and various other elements, including political, have crept into it ”.
Pawar to meet Prez on Dec 9
Mumbai: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar is scheduled to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on December 9 over the ongoing farmers’ protest against the new agrarian laws, the party said here on Sunday.
NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said the former Union agriculture minister will apprise Kovind of the situation in the country in the backdrop of the protest.
Pawar will be accompanied by CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja and DMK MP TR Baalu.
Pawar asked the center to take serious cognisance of the ongoing farmers’ protest and said if the deadlock continues, the agitation will not be limited to Delhi and people from across the country will stand by the protesting cultivators. – PTI
