Farmers protesting against the Centre’s three agricultural laws at Delhi borders have decided to distribute food packets and other essential items in hospitals in Delhi. The decision comes in the wake of the worsening situation in the National Capital due to Coronavirus.
However, farmers are firm on their demand to repeal the three farm laws, and a legal guarantee for the MSP (Minimum Support Price), and will continue their protest.
Farmers will Distribute Food in Delhi Hospitals
Samyukt Kisan Morcha, SKM, an alliance of several hundred farm unions said in a press statement that its constituents would work in coordination to help the patients in Delhi hospitals. The packing process to distribute food would commence at Singhu border.
“And farmers on the Ghazipur border have already started distributing food at bus terminals, railway stations, and hospitals of Delhi,” said SKM.
SKM added that a group on the Tikri border had announced to offer essential services and asked people to contact them in case they were facing difficulty in getting food.
Statement by Farmers’ Leaders
On the behalf of various farmers’ leaders including BKU President Balbir Singh Rajewal, Krantikar Kisan Union President Darshan Pal, BKU General Secretary Yudhvir Singh, and Swaraj India National President Yogendra Yadav, the joint statement was issued.
The statement said, “The citizens of the country are themselves helping one another when the government has collapsed. In Delhi, when people are in bad condition of health, serving each other is an example of fellowship and unity. And the vehicles of oxygen and other services need to cross the farmers’ protest sites, and volunteers are helping those vehicles to reach the destination. The farmers’ movement honours the human values.”
The farmer leaders said that they were aware of the health concerns caused by the COVID-19 disease, but “the government should not use it as a cover”. Instead of fighting the pandemic, it was trying to suppress the voice of protest in the country.
Farmers’ leaders added that they were fighting for the secure and fair prices of their crops which was admissible. Leaders charged that the government’s aim may be to suppress the farmers’ agitation to keep the “corporate houses happy”, but the farmers would not turn back this movement till the laws are repealed, and they get a legal guarantee for the MSP.
