Even as the fifth round of talks between the farmers leaders and the Central government is still going on, farmers at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh Ghazipur border vowed to celebrate Republic Day there on January 26 if the government does not accept their demand to repeal the three agri laws and guarantee the minimum support price (MSP).
Yoginder Singh, a farmer from Bulandshahr in UP, who has been protesting for the last eight days told IANS, “My son Oawan is set to get married tomorrow on December 6. And I am here and will not go home to attend the ceremony as this protest is meant for our future.”
He said he has made adequate arrangements at home for the marriage and in his absence his relatives will perform the wedding rituals.
Singh added that he will stay in Delhi if the government does not accept the demands of the farmers.
“Even if I have to stay here for a year, I will celebrate Republic Day, Holi and Diwali below this flyover for our rights,” he added.
Another farmer from Bulandshahr Dayabad Singh said, “Narendra Modi, who was Gujarat Chief Minister in 2011, had written to then Prime minister Manmohan Singh demanding MSP for farmers. And now as he is in power he should approve the same instead of talking everytime and making false promises to farmers.”
Jagdish Singh Rathi arrived at the Ghazipur border last Saturday, which he says was the second day of the farmers protest at the Delhi border.
He told IANS, “We have very little faith in the government as it has not been honest with farmers and never fulfilled promises made to the farmers.”
“Now we have demanded only one thing from the government, accept our demands in writing, till then we are not going back from here,” Rathi said.
When asked what if the talks with the government on Saturday remain inconclusive, he said, “We have given a call for a Bharat Bandh on December 8. We are not going to leave from here and will celebrate January 26 here only.”
He added that the farmers are ready to take on the government if their demands are not met.
Meanwhile, a number of farmers were seen preparing food for the people who have arrived to join the protest.
Food was also being brought from the nearby Gurudwara for the agitating farmers.
Earlier in the day, farmers blocked NH 24 that connects Meerut with Delhi.
The farmer’s protest entered the 10th day on Saturday. Thousands of farmers have been agitating at several border points of Delhi.
The farmers are demanding the repeal of the three Farm Laws and a guarantee on MSP.