Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to visit the national capital’s Singhu border on Monday to inspect arrangements made by the Union Territory government for farmers at the spot protesting against the three central laws enacted by the Centre earlier this year, according to news agency ANI.
The visit by the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP’s) national convenor to the Singhu border comes a day after he extended support to the agitating farmers’ call for Bharat Bandh or nationwide strike on Tuesday. “The AAP would support the Bharat Bandh called by farmer groups on December 8. AAP volunteers too would join hands with farmers in peaceful protests across the country on that day. It’s an appeal to citizens of India to support the farmers,” Kejriwal wrote on Twitter.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from the northern states of Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting at Delhi borders for the 12th day now against the 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, enacted by Parliament in September. The AAP had voted against the three laws in both Houses of Parliament.
AAP leader and Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Sunday said all party volunteers and workers will participate in the strike to support the farmers. “This is not just the farmers’ fight but the fight for all countrymen. India is an agricultural country and if farmers are unhappy then the country is affected. I appeal to all to join the protest,” said Rai.
AAP Lok Sabha MP from Punjab, Bhagwant Mann said, “We will do our best to support farmers in the nationwide strike on December 8. This strike is not political. It is about farmers, their land, and their livelihood. It concerns the entire nation. I urge everyone to support farmers. The central government has been doing one meeting after another for the past several days with top ministers but they have not been able to resolve the issue. Resolving the issue needs political will and good intent.”
Farmers, who are demanding that three farm laws be withdrawn, have said that they would occupy toll plazas on December 8, the day of Bharat Bandh, if their demands are not met. They want a special session of Parliament to be called to repeal the laws.
