Farmer unions threaten to march into Delhi on January 26, hold tractor parade

Jan 02, 2021

New Delhi [India], January 2 : Protesting farmer unions on Saturday said that farmers will enter Delhi on the Republic Day with their tractors, trolleys and other vehicles if their demand for the repeal of new farm laws is not accepted.
At a joint press conference, members of the coordination committee of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha said the major demands of the protesting farmers remain unresolved.
Krantikari Kisan Union President Darshan Pal said they had drawn up a plan of action to intensify the protest.
"Will hold a parallel tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day in Delhi. We call on all nearby farmers to come to Delhi with their tractors and farm vehicles," he said.
The farmer union leaders said that a fortnight-long nationwide campaign includes "Desh Jagriti Abhiyan" from Jan 6 to January 20 in which rallies, conferences and protests will be held across the country.
They said Lohri will be marked as Kisan Sankalp Diwas and January 18 as Mahila Kisan Diwas to underline the role of women farmers.
Azad Hind Kisan Diwas will be marked on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's birth anniversary on 23rd January by protesting outside Governors' official residence in all state capitals.
They said the government has asked the farmers' organisations to come up with 'alternative proposals' on their demand to repeal the three central farm Acts and the farmer leaders had responded by saying that there is no alternative other than repeal.
They said the government has refused to agree, even in principle, to our demand for legal right to purchase at MSP.
The farmer union leaders said that if the government does not meet their demand by the January 26, "they will be left with no option other than to start marching peacefully into Delhi".
The farmer unions leaders had said on Friday that if the scheduled talks with the government do not succeed on January 4, farmers will march on KMP Expressway on January 6 and "Shahjahanpur blockade will also move towards Delhi".