FARMER LEADERS PREPARE FOR ‘TRACTOR MARCH’ TODAY

NEW DELHI: With farmers’ agitation at the borders of the national capital continuing for the 42nd day on Wednesday, their leaders are now readying for a ‘Tractor March’ on the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways on Thursday.

Harinder Singh Lakhowal, Punjab farmer leader and general secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), told news agency IANS that preparations were on to intensify the agitation and make the programme on Thursday a success. He informed that farmers from Punjab are coming with their tractors for the march. Farmers from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are also joining the rally. After the seventh round of talks with the Central government on Monday remained inconclusive, the farmers decided to take out a ‘Tractor March’ on 7 January. Earlier the Samyukta Kisan Morcha had scheduled the rally for 6 January but due to the bad weather forecast the march was postponed by a day.

The SKM said the death anniversary of Sir Chhotu Ram will be observed on January 9. Sir Chhotu Ram is remembered as a farmer leader. After this, the farmers will celebrate Lohri on January 13 and Makar Sankranti on January 14 as ‘Sankalp Diwas’.

Withdrawal of The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 enacted by the Central government and the legal guarantee for procurement of crops at the Minimum Support Price is being demanded by the farmers, who have been camping at the borders of Delhi since November 26, 2020.