6 Months of Farmers Protest; Farm Unions to Observe May 26 as 'Black Day'

To mark 6 months of a sit-in protest at Delhi borders against the farm laws, farmers are planning to observe May 26 as ‘Black Day’.

Since November 2020, thousands of farmers are protesting at Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur borders, even after facing police barriers and water cannons, as a part of their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march against the Centre’s farm laws.

During the virtual conference, farmer Balbir Singh Rajewal said, “On May 26, we will complete 6 months of farmers protest against and it also happens to mark seven since Prime Minister Narendra Modi formed the government.”

He appealed to the people to raise black flags at their houses, vehicles, and shops as a sign of protest against the farm laws.

Balbir Singh Rajewal said, “We appeal to the people of the country and also Punjab to hang black flags at their house, vehicles, and shops. We will burn effigies of PM Narendra Modi as a form of protest.”

He added that the government has not heard the farmers’ demand to repeal the new farm laws, and “with increasing prices of fertilizers, diesel, and petrol, the farming business is not possible.”

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh have been camping at various Delhi border points since November 2020, demanding to roll back the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020; Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020. And also to make a new law to guarantee Minimum Support Price for crops.

Even after numerous rounds of Centre-farmer talks to resolve the issue, the deadlock has continued with the farmers’ firm at their demand to repeal the three laws, and the government’s statement that the laws are pro-farmers.