To mark seven months of their agitation at Delhi’s borders against the three farm laws passed by the Centre, a delegation of farmers submitted a memorandum to Delhi Lieutenant Governor on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police on Saturday tightened security arrangements across borders of the national Capital in view of the anticipated protest march by farmers.
The Delhi Metro also decided to shut its three main stations on the Yellow Line for four hours on Saturday. “As advised by Delhi Police, in view of security reasons, three Metro stations of Yellow Line namely, Vishwavidyalaya, Civil Lines and Vidhan Sabha will remain closed for public from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm tomorrow i.E, 26.06.2021 (Saturday),” the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had tweeted Friday night.
According to a statement by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions protesting at various Delhi border points, “Kheti Bachao, Loktantra Bachao Diwas” (save agriculture, save democracy) is being marked all over India on Saturday on the completion of seven months of the farmers' protests and 46 years after promulgation of Emergency in India in 1975.
“Thousands of farmers across India plan to march in rallies to Raj Bhavans in different States on Saturday. As an expression of solidarity, one such rally is also being planned in Massachusetts, USA,” it said.
“The memorandum submitted on Saturday was addressed to the President of India and it describes the unconstitutional, undemocratic and anti-farmer central laws that were thrust on farmers of the country without them asking for it,” said SKM in a statement.
“The memorandum also describes the seven months of struggle so far by peaceful protestors. It states that the historical farmers’ movement being led by SKM is not only a movement to save farming and farmers of the country, but also the democracy of our country,” said the SKM.
“The memorandum urges the President to direct the Union Government to immediately accept the legitimate demands of the farmers’ movement, repeal the three anti-farmer laws and to enact a law that will guarantee remunerative MSP at C2+50 per cent for all farmers,” the SKM added.