Delhi residents, children, elderly and youth included, gathered at the Mandi House to express solidarity with farmers met with police barricades on February 3, 2021.
Hundreds of people’s organisation members planned a march from the Mandi House towards Jantar Mantar to show their dissent against the three laws – the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance & Farm Services Act, the Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act – and the FIR charges lodged against journalists and supporters of the farmers movement.
However, their path was stopped by police personnel armed with riot gear and barricades. Visuals show members of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), the All India Central Council of trade Unions (AICCTU), the All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA) and others being pushed and manhandled in an effort to stop the march.
AISA President N. Sai Balaji told SabrangIndia that no person suffered injuries during the incident. However, resolved to stand with farmers, people observed a public meeting where the march halted.
“Farmers are fighting for this country’s food security. This repression on them should be condemned. And this is why all citizens of India, students, intellectuals, and all came together on Wednesday to say that this is not simply the farmers’ problem. We have to remember that those opposing farmers right now are BJP members,” Balaji said when asked about the on-going condition of protesting farmers.
Accordingly, during the meeting, participants raised slogans for immediate repeal of the laws and release of all detained/arrested farmer leaders. AISA, Working General Secretary Prasenjeet Kumar said, “The resilience of the farmer movement has shown the Modi government that it’s anti-people policies shall not suffice!”
Other speakers such as AICCTU member Suchita De and AIPWA General Secretary Kavita Krishnan also decried the manner in which the government was repressing people’s voices while using the IT Cell. The protest concluded with the resolve to give all solidarities to the farmer movement.
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