Agitating farmer unions on Sunday remained firm on holding a tractor rally on Republic Day and vowed to continue their stir till the agri laws are repealed, even as Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar urged them to discuss alternatives to scrapping the legislation at the next meeting scheduled for January 19.
Farmers will carry out a tractor parade along Delhi’s Outer Ring Road on Republic Day, announced Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav on Sunday, asserting that the parade will be conducted peacefully with the national flag.
“Farmers will carry out a tractor parade with the national flag on the Outer Ring Road of Delhi on Republic Day. Along with jawans, the Kisan will also celebrate the sovereignty of the country,” Yadav said at a press conference.
This comes on the 53rd day of the farmers’ protest at the borders of the national capital against the Centre’s farm laws.
The authorities had moved the Supreme Court seeking an injunction against the proposed tractor march or any other kind of protest by farmers which seeks to disrupt the gathering and celebrations of Republic Day on January 26. The apex court is likely to hear the petition on January 18.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde will hear the application along with pleas raising the issue of farmers protesting at Delhi borders. For the parade, Yadav also added that weapons of any kind, inciteful language, and violent actions would be strictly not allowed in the parade and hoped that the Delhi and Haryana Police would not cause hindrances to the parade.
“No disruption will be caused to the official Republic Day ceremony,” he added.
The parade will pass through Peeragadhi, Janakpuri, Dhaula Kuan, Munirka, IIT, Khel Gaon, Chirag Delhi, Nehru Place, Okhla, Majnu ka Tila, Burari, Azadpur, among other areas.
“There will be a national flag or an emblem of a farm union on each vehicle, and flags of political parties will be allowed anywhere. Those unable to participate in the parade in Delhi will do so in their respective states while following the same guidelines,” Yadav added.
Communist Party of India leader Hannan Mollah, who has lent his support to the farmer’s protest appealed to the public to join the parade in Delhi.
“Through this parade, we want the public to know the problems of the annadatta and come out and support us. We appeal to the people to come and join us in the parade,” he said.
The tenth round of talks between the government and the protesting farmer unions is scheduled for January 19. On the same day, the Supreme Court-appointed committee to resolve the impasse will hold its first meeting.
The previous nine rounds of formal talks between the Centre and 41 farmer unions have failed to yield any concrete results to end the long-running protest at Delhi’s borders as the latter have stuck to their main demand of a complete repeal of the three acts.
Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
(With agency inputs)
This article is auto-generated by Algorithm Source: www.dnaindia.com
