Farmers find support in Jammu, Srinagar
Protests staged against newly introduced farm laws
Jammu/Srinagar: Various organisations, including transporters, held peaceful protests here on Tuesday to express solidarity with farmers who gave a call for Bharat Bandh.
The bandh evoked a mixed response in Jammu region with most of public transport staying off roads. Commuters faced problems and were seen walking a distance, but shops and business establishments remained partially open.
The main protest rally was taken out by J&K Transport Welfare Association (JKTWA) from Bikram Chowk to Digyana, blocking the Jammu-Pathankote highway. The JKTWA and over a dozen other social, religious and political organizations have extended support to the bandh call.
The protests remained peaceful and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in Jammu district or elsewhere in the province, officials said.
Leading the protest march, JKTWA chairman T S Wazir said they were on the roads in support of the agitating farmers who were demanding immediate revocation of the three farm laws introduced by the central government.
“If there is a need, we are ready to join the farmers in Delhi,” Wazir told reporters, amid high-pitch sloganeering by participants at Bikram Chowk in the heart of the city.
Taking a dig at central government for defending the laws as “pro-farmer”, he said the Union ministers had promised Rs 15 lakh to citizens and two crore jobs but these promises proved to be white lies.
“They are selling falsehood to the public which people are not going to accept anymore,” he said.
Various other social, religious and political organizations including National Panthers Party (NPP), Kisan Vikas Front and United Sikh Organisation also staged peaceful protests at different places in the city in support of the bandh call.
Joint Action Committee of civil society groups and social organizations also held protests at various places in different districts including Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur and Reasi.
The officials said police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in strength to maintain law and order across Jammu region.
Meanwhile, amid chill and rains, in solidarity with the farmers protesting against ‘anti-farmer’ bills various groups including fruit dealers in Kashmir Valley joined nation-wide ‘Bharat-Bandh’ on Tuesday.
Jammu Kashmir Kissan Tehreek (JKKT), that is a part of Communist Party of India (Marxist) held protest at Press Enclave Srinagar. The protest was led by General Secretary JKKT, Ghulam Nabi Malik.
The protesters carrying placards and banners sought withdrawal of ‘controversial’ farmer laws.
“The bills are aimed to help the corporate agri-businesses at the cost of poor farmer’s hard work,” the protesters said. They said the central government must adhere to the democratic processes and norms and meet the legitimate demands of farmers.
While addressing the protest demonstration, General Secretary Kisan Tehreek Ghulam Nabi Malik said that these new agri-laws passed in the Parliament in a brazen anti-democratic manner preventing a structured discussion and voting, will threaten India’s food security and destroy Indian agriculture and farmers.
He said these bills have pushed the farmers into a critical situation. “If the ordinance had been in favour of the farmers the government would have discussed and revealed the contents of the bill to the nation. These Acts will mean complete withdrawal of the Government from procurement and put farmers at the mercy of corporate companies. It is aimed to facilitate profiteering by big players like Adani Wilmar, Reliance, Walmart, Birla, ITC etc,” he said.
Malik said that the Modi Government is pushing through various neoliberal measures under the guise of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign’. “All the measures announced under its auspices for agriculture and rural infrastructure has actually given nothing much to the farmers. The Covid-19 pandemic has become a golden opportunity for the Modi Government to push through anti-farmer and anti-worker legislations without any proper parliamentary scrutiny or discussion,” he said.
While condemning the BJP Government for its utter disregard for established Parliamentary procedures, federal principles, rights of States and farmers in the manner in which three anti-farmer Ordinances were pushed through without wide consultation, the protesters warned that their agitations will intensify unless the bills are repealed.
United Sikh Forum also staged a protest in Srinagar amid rains and extended their support to the protesting farmers of India.
The protesters assembled in Press Enclave Srinagar and demanded withdrawal of what they said ‘anti-farmer’ legislations. They said their support for farmers will always be there. They condemned the use of ‘force’ on protesting farmers in recent past.
Fruit dealers also supported the Bharat Bandh called by farmers in North Kashmir. The biggest fruit mandi of North Kashmir which is located in Sopore town remained shut in solidarity with the protesting farmers.
Fayaz Ahmad Malik, President Fruit Mandi Sopore told media that they support today’s strike of farmers and demand the roll-back of anti-farmer legislations. (with inputs from PTI, KNT)
KV News
