Farmers Start Heading Home, Cops To Remove Barricades From Protest Sites: In the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to repeal all three of the laws the farmers not left demonstration sites, with the intention of citing other demands
Farmers living along the Delhi’s Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur border will embark on the victory march on Tuesday when they return to their homes within Punjab as well as Haryana after a 15-month-long agitation that forced the central government to revoke three controversial agricultural laws.
Farmers are now removing their temporary homes at border crossings after the agitation, that took on the forces of nature as well as the tagging of “terrorists” and “khalistanis” has come to an end. They are expected to gather for ceremonies before heading back to home.
The special arrangements were put in place along the roadsides to greet the farmers when they go to their homes on tractors. It is learned.
The march to victory was originally scheduled for yesterday, however it was postponed due to the aftermath of the tragic crash of a helicopter that occurred in Tamil Nadu that killed 13 people including the Chief of the Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat.
Rakesh Tikait, who is the leader of the protest by farmers, said to the news agency ANI yesterday that a huge number of farmers will leave the protest areas today. “We will talk, pray and meet the people who helped us. People have started vacating already, it will take 4-5 days. I will leave on December 15,” Tikait said.
After the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to scrap these laws, the farmers continued to protest at the locations, inciting additional demands, including a legal assurance on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the withdrawal of all cases registered against farmers protesting.
They made public their decision to return after the centre had sent an official proposal of the demands that remain unanswered for the committee of five members that is part of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which is leading the protests.
The center has decided to create an advisory committee to resolve about the MSP issue. The committee will consist of agricultural experts, government officials as well as people who are from Kisan Morcha.
The government also has accepted to dismiss all cases brought by police against farmers and farmers, including complaints about burning stubble and those brought with Haryana or Uttar Pradesh police following clashes with protesters.
Regarding the Kisan Morcha’s request for compensation for the death of 700 farmers killed in the protests the center has announced that Haryana as well as Uttar Pradesh have given in-principle acceptance and Punjab has made an announcement.
The idea of the center came following Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with farmers’ representatives over the phone to discuss issues that were not resolved.
As the farmers return home after forcing the state to resign, the attention is now shifting away from the protests on Delhi border to the Assembly election arena within Punjab along with Uttar Pradesh.
All eyes will be focused on what effect the farmers’ agitation and the brutal attempts to crush it will have on the outcome of the elections, particularly in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh where four protesting farmers were trampled and allegedly killed by the son of a Union Minister.
