The agitation against the farm laws is going to get bigger with farmers refusing to accept anything other than complete withdrawal of the bill. The farmers who are protesting since the last many days at the Delhi-Haryana border have threatened to further intensify the protest in the coming days. On Monday, farmers across the country will hold a day’s hunger strike and stage sit-in protests at all the district headquarters.
The plan to escalate the protest was announced on Thursday after a meeting with union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Centre’s written offer to amend the laws, which the farmers refused. The Centre’s offer to amend the laws has not found favour with the farmers. The government is terming the laws a gift for the farmers. Several union ministers and BJP leaders are holding press conferences across the country, justifying the bill. There have been attempts to link the protest with Maoist and even separatist Khalistani group, which is really unfortunate. When the farmers are saying that they don’t want the new laws, the government should listen to them. They are ones who are going to be affected.
No other voice matters, apart from the farmers’. The government of India should not remain adamant. They should extend an olive branch to the farmers who feed the nation. Instead of trying to defame them by attempting to link their protest with Maoists and Khalistanis, the government should accept their demand and put an end to the fiasco.