Uttarakhand farmers to join anti-farm laws protests in Delhi, ready for long siege

One of the farmers heading to Delhi said the Central government was playing in the hands of capitalists and its decisions are ruining the agriculture sector.

Farmers from Uttarakhand’s US Nagar district are leaving for Delhi with ration and some other essentials to join the protest against the three contentious farm laws. The farmers say they will camp in Delhi till the laws are withdrawn by the Central government and they are ready for laying a long siege on the capital.

Uttarakhand farmers demonstrating against the farm bills at UP border near US Nagar a few days ago. (HT Photo)

“Farmers are heading to Delhi in batches of small groups due to Covid-19 outbreak. Some of them have already arrived in Delhi, some are camping near the Delhi border with ration and other necessary materials, while others are on the way,” said Prem Singh Sahota, district president, Bharat Kisan Union (BKU).

A large batch of farmers from US Nagar had proceeded to Delhi on Saturday after UP police allowed them to move ahead from Rampur district, where they had been stopped. They held a sit-in for 48 hours before police gave them permission to go ahead, said a farmer.

Another batch of farmers carrying ration and other essential supplies in tractor trolleys left for the national capital on Monday.

“Government is playing in the hands of capitalists and its decisions are ruining the agriculture sector. Farmers are being forced to leave agriculture since they can’t bear the brunt of the newly introduced farm laws,” said Malook Singh Khinda, a farmer from Nanakmatta.

BKU of the district unit has planned to send 2,500 farmers from US Nagar to Delhi to join the stir. “Around 1,500 farmers have left for Delhi and 300 more farmers were sent to Delhi on Wednesday,” Sahota claimed.

US Nagar is considered the grain bowl of Uttarakhand and farmers here are not happy with the farm laws, prompting their march to Delhi to participate in the protests.