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Will hold peaceful Republic Day parade in Delhi, say farm unions
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a platform of farm unions spearheading the farmers’ agitation, said farmers all over the country would also take out similar parades in state capitals and district headquarters.
Tens of thousands of farmers will take out a colourful Kisan Republic Day parade (farmers’ Republic Day parade) in a “disciplined and peaceful” way in the national capital on January 26, leaders of farm unions protesting three pro-reform agricultural laws said on Sunday.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a platform of farm unions spearheading the ongoing farmers’ agitation, said farmers all over the country would also take out similar parades in state capitals and district headquarters.
The farm unions’ said their parade on tractors would cover a 60-km stretch and pass through New Delhi’s Outer Ring Road, covering areas as Peeragarhi, Janakpuri and Munirka etc.
The farm unions also said their march would commence only after the official military parade on Rajpath ends so that official celebrations to mark Republic Day are not disrupted.
“Farmers on hundreds of tractors decorated beautifully, along with tableau, will take out an eye-catching parade,” said Darshan Pal, a senior farm leader.
The Union government had earlier asked the Supreme Court not to allow the farmers’ procession, citing security concerns, but the court had said farmers had the right to protest peacefully.
“This is not a preparation for any attack. Nor are we going to go to Rajpath or Red Fort. We will be disciplined and peaceful. We will maintain honour and dignity that the occasion deserves,” senior farm leader Yogendra Yadav said.
Yadav also said that the farmers’ tractors on parade would display only the national flag with appropriate respect and flags of farm unions.
In what has been a tough political challenge for the Modi government, tens of thousands of protesting farmers have encircled the national capital for over a month, demanding the government scrap the three laws approved by Parliament in September last year.
The laws essentially ease restrictions on farm trade, which farmers have alleged will leave them at the mercy of big corporations.
“The decision to hold a peaceful tractor rally with the national flag on Outer Ring Road is a befitting reply to those who were alleging farmers are anti-national and would allegedly disrupt Republic Day parade,” said Sudhir Panwar, a farm leader and former member of Uttar Pradesh Planning Commission.
The ninth round of discussions between the Union government and farm unions failed to make any progress on Friday, but both sides agreed to meet again on January 19.
