Farmers warn for Delhi march on Republic Day

New Delhi: Agitating farmers' group here on Saturday announced to hold a parade in the national capital on the occasion of Republic Day if their demands are not met by then. They declared to hold the march into the city with tractors and trolleys after the end of official parade.

The farmer leaders also made their position clear, giving a message to the government through media that "repeal the three central farm acts or use force to evict us"--a declaration which comes amid the ongoing protest entering 38th day on Saturday after six round of government farmer talks and the next dialogue fixed on January 4.

In its first press conference organized by a seven-member Coordination Committee of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha in the national capital, the farmers' movement delivered an ultimatum to the government of India, announcing ed that "farmers will march into Delhi on January 26, 2021, with their tractors, trolleys and other vehicles.

It was clarified that the "farmers' republic parade" will take place after the official parade.

The decision was announced in a press conference addressed by farmer leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal, Darshanpal, Gurnam Singh Chadhuni, Ashok Dhawale (in place for Hannan Mollah), Jagjit Singh Dallewal, and Abhimanyu Kohad (in place for Shiv Kumar Sharma Kakkaji) and Yogendra Yadav.

"We intend to be peaceful and we told long ago to the government of India during our talks that it has only two options -- either repeal the three central farm acts or use force on us to evict us," said the farmer leaders.

"The time has come for decisive action here, and we have chosen 26th January both because the Republic Day represents the supremacy of the people and also because we would have demonstrated patiently and peacefully at Delhi's borders for two full months in extreme weather conditions by then our resolve to get our demands met."

Samyukt Kisan Morcha also announced their plan of action till January 26 to intensify and deepen the movement.

"A fortnight of nationwide campaign to counter the government's propaganda called 'Desh Jagriti Abhiyan' during 6th to 20th of January will include rallies, conferences and dharnas all over the country. Lohri or Sankarnati will be marked as Kisan Sankalp Diwas by burning the copies of these three laws. 18th of January will be celebrated as Mahila Kisan Diwas to underline the role of women farmers. Azad Hind Kisan Diwas will be marked on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's birth anniversary on 23rd January by protesting outside Governors' official residence in all state capitals."

In a press conference at Singhu Border -- one of the protesting site at Delhi-Haryana route -- it was already announced on Friday that if the talks on January 4 do not succeed, farmers will march on Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway on the January 6 and subsequently the Shahjahanpur blockade will also move towards Delhi.

Farmer leaders made it clear that in the last round of talks with the government, though the government agreed to two minor demands of the farmers' movement -- even these are yet to be secured in writing or legal form -- the major demands of the protesting farmers remain unresolved.

On the demand to repeal the three central farm Acts, the government of India had asked the farmer organisations to come up with 'alternative proposals', and the farmer leaders responded by saying that there is no alternative other than repeal.

"The government has refused to agree, even in principle, to our demand for legal right to purchase at Minimum Support Price (MSP). We have no alternative and if the government does not meet our demand by the 26th of January, we will be left with no option other than to start marching peacefully into Delhi," said Samyukt Kisan Morcha.