The Manohar lal Khattar Government in Haryana has invited farmers’ unions to hold talks amid growing resentment among the farming community, who have announced to intensify their ongoing agitation to press for their demands.
The State Government has invited the farmers’ union for a meeting on June 30 in Chandigarh in a bid to extend an olive branch to the agitating farmers, who have announced to perform yoga on the State highways of Haryana to protest against the anti-farmer attitude of BJP-led Central and Haryana Government. At present, various farmers’ organisations are holding protest dharnas in various parts of Haryana demanding immediate implementation of Swaminathan report, loan waiver for debt-ridden farmers, enhanced minimum support price (MSP) on crops among other steps for farmers welfare after Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur incident in which six farmers were killed during police firing. “The farmers will perform “hath yoga” at around 24 locations in Haryana to show their resentment against the policies of BJP Government. Thousands of farmers will perform ‘shirshasana’ in protest on State highways on the occasion of International Yoga Day on June 21,” said Rattan Mann, Haryana president of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Mann faction) while talking to The Pioneer.
Mann said the State Government has invited the members of BKU to Chandigarh on June 30 to meet the Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar and we have decided to attend the meeting.
Following an invitation from the State Government, the farmers union has decided to perform “hath yoga” for one hour from 9 am to 10 am. Earlier, the session was to be held for three hours to protest against the ruling BJP, said the union leader.He added that we have demanded implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, loan waiver and retirement allowance of Rs5 lakh to all farmers after attaining the age of 60.
While other groups of farmers’ unions have not been invited for the meeting yet, the State Government has swung into action to resolve farmers’ woes with political rivals including Congress and INlD continuing their tirade against the BJP after Mandsaur firing incident.
The politicking has picked up over the farmer protests, as opposition parties are also holding protest dharnas in various parts of Haryana. While Haryana Congress is holding kisan panchayats, satyagrah dharna, Indian National lok Dal is holding protest demonstrations to lend their support to the farming community.