Protesting Farmers Brave Water Cannons, Submit Memorandum To Governors

Protesting farmers marked the completion of seven months of their agitation against the three contentious farm legislations on Saturday, June 26, and submitted memorandums to the respective Governors.

Farmers from Punjab faced water cannons when they broke police barricades in Chandigarh and marched close to the Governor House.

In adjoining Panchkula, protestors from Haryana stopped when they were denied entry into Chandigarh. Leading the protest in Panchkula, the chief of Haryana unit of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Gurnam Singh Charuni, had appealed followers to maintain peace and stop if prohibited from entering Chandigarh.

The joint platform of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) had announced to observe Saturday as 바카라�Save Agriculture, Save Democracy day바카라� which coincides with the 47th anniversary of imposition of 바카라�Emergency바카라�.

SKM had announced earlier that leaders would submit a memorandum to the President of India through Governor in States and Lieutenant Governor in Union Territories.

바카라�We sat down on the street peacefully in front of barricades blocking entry into Chandigarh,바카라� said Suman Huda, president of Haryana women바카라�s unit of the BKU.

바카라�We are continuing the protests (around 5pm) in front of the electricity board office in Panchkula,바카라� she added.

Farmer unions have been demanding repeal of the three farm laws and the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020, as well as legalization of minimum support price (MSP).

Thousands of farmers have been participating in sit-in protests at Delhi바카라�s borders since November 26 last. While the number has been going down, a recent surge was witnessed to mark seven months of their protests.

According to the general secretary of the Left-affiliated All Indian Kisan Sabha (AIKS), Hannan Mollah, 바카라�Reports are coming in from various parts of the country of a successful show of unity in our struggle.바카라�

바카라�There was a huge congregation in Tripura too,바카라� he said.

The police in Kolkata, claimed Hannan Mollah, had baton-charged 바카라�peaceful demonstrators바카라� near the Mahatma Gandhi statue. 바카라�However, they have managed to hand over the memorandum to Raj Bhavan,바카라� he added.

In Delhi, police blocked traffic near the Raj Niwas. A small group of farmers, intending to hand over the memorandum to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, squatted on road in front of the reception.

바카라�We were taken into custody in the forenoon but released about three hours later. We had an online meeting with the Lieutenant Governor around 5pm where we put forward our demands,바카라� said BKU general secretary Yudhvir Singh.

In Bengaluru too, police apprehended protesting farmer leaders. According to the convenor of Samyukta Horata, G C Bayyareddy, their permission was withdrawn due to the weekend 바카라�curfew바카라� in force to check the spread of Covid-19.

바카라�The police arrested us around noon but soon released us. However, we have handed over our memorandum,바카라� he said.

A tractor rally was held at the Ghazipur protest site, where BKU leader and spokesperson Rakesh Tikait led the cavalcade. However, in keeping with an SKM decision, they did not enter Delhi.

Protesting farmers raised slogans against the Centre and the farm bills. They were carrying respective farm union flags and placards.

In many places across states, volunteers had set up stalls offering food and water to the protesters and the sundry passerby.

The protesting farm unions claim that the laws would pave the way for the dismantling of 바카라�mandis바카라� and the MSP system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporate entities.

However, the government claims that the reforms are meant for the betterment in their profession and life.