Address farmers’ issue seriously

Republic Day is going to be very different this time. Farmers are going to take out a tractor rally in the national capital to protest against the new farm laws. The rally will mark the completion of two months of protest against the Centre’s contentious farm laws by farmers camped on the borders of Delhi. The unprecedented farmers’ rally to be held on Republic Day is drawing huge response and the police in several states, including Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, are scrambling to keep order. The Delhi police, which gave permission for the rally after much back and forth, on Monday alleged that antinational elements were trying to take advantage of the rally.

They are planning to take the protest to a higher notch by announcing to conduct a foot march to the parliament during the budget day on 1 February. The 11th round of negotiations between the protesting farmers and the government on Friday broke down with both sides not ready to climb down from their respective positions. While the farmers remained adamant on repeal of the three agri laws, the government asked them to consider their offer of suspending the implementation of the acts upto one-and-a-half years. With both sides remaining adamant, the situation can flare up anytime. The farmers who are protesting for the last two months are running out of patience. The government is not showing any serious attempt to resolve the impasse. The more the protests drag on, it is going to harm the nation.