Farmers burnt copies of the three new agri-marketing laws at the Delhi-Noida border on Tuesday, even as they remained resolved in their demand for withdrawal of the contentious legislations for the 29th day.
At the Chilla border, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) supporters, hailing from various districts of western Uttar Pradesh, also practised march-past, saying they are preparing to hold a parade on the Republic Day if their protest extends till January 26.
The Delhi-Noida Link Road via Chilla remained partially closed due to the farmers” agitation, according to a police official.
“The Delhi to Noida carriageway is open but the other side on the road is closed,” the official said.
After burning a copy of the new laws, Yogesh Pratap Singh, the UP unit chief of the farmers” union, said, “BKU Bhanu members are resolved to stay put in protest until the legislations are repealed by the Centre.”
At nearby Dalit Prerna Sthal, scores of BKU (Lok Shakti) supporters too demonstrated against the government’s anti-farmer policies.
BKU (Lok Shakti) chief Sheoraj Singh is camping at the spot along with supporters since December 2, the faction’s spokesperson Shailesh Kumar Giri said.
BKU (Bhanu) and BKU (Lok Shakti) are not part of the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farmers unions, which are leading the charge at Delhi’s border points in Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, but have extended their support to the protest.
Thousands of farmers are currently staying put at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in protest 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.
The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.
However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.
