Farmers to Observe “Betrayal Day” on January 31 Over Government’s Unfulfilled Promises

Over a month after the year-long protest of farmers came to an end, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait claimed that the government has still not met the demands of farmers and that they will mark January 31 as "Betrayal Day." 

Furthermore, the BKU leader stated that all protestors backed down their protests after the Centre made several promises on December 9 concerning the farmers' demands, which have yet to be fulfilled. 

A Nation-wide "Betrayal Day"

"A nation-wide 'Betrayal Day' will be marked on January 31 because of the government's betrayal to farmers," Tikait wrote on Twitter. The movement was suspended until the government sent a letter on December 9, although those promises have yet to be fulfilled." 

 Furthermore, the farmer leader stated that the central government must keep its promise on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and dismiss the cases brought against numerous protesting farmers during the year-long movement against three agricultural laws. 

Protests to take place in 500 regions

According to reports, as part of "Betrayal Day," farmer groups will stage protests and burn effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi outside the BJP district headquarters in Haryana on Monday. Protests are expected to take place in as many as 500 regions throughout the country today, according to farmer leaders. 

Under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a large group of farmers began demonstrating on the borders of Delhi in November 2020, requesting that the central government repeal the three problematic agricultural laws and replace them with a law ensuring MSP for crops. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of the three farm laws one year after the protests began, thereby ending the movement. The Centre writes to the agitators on December 9 to assure them that their demands would be met. 

According to the letter by the central government, a committee would be created to oversee the deployment of MSP for crops, and the cases against the protestors will be dismissed. "As far as compensation is concerned, UP and Haryana have given in-principle consent," the letter stated.