Tensions are escalating in the farmers protest. As a result 8 FIRs have been registered against prominent Indians such as Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, journalists Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pandey and Zafar Agha for inciting violence on Republic Day through fiery social media posts on farmers’ protests.
A good time to retweet this. https://t.co/LruH9956cq
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 28, 2021
Why did VM Singh quit the farm protests? Hear his version: https://t.co/DV9rLsO0RS
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 28, 2021
Meanwhile, the Farmers are sitting firm in the ongoing conflict with the Modi government. At the Delhi-UP border at Ghazipur on Thursday after Ghaziabad administration issued orders to the farmers to vacate the protest site by tonight.
While the administration said it is prepared to vacate the border, the farmers refused to give in with Bharat Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait announcing that he is ready to die. He also claimed that the electricity and water supply have been cut at the site. “We will not move from here. We will commit suicide but won’t end protest until the farm bills are repealed,” he said.
At midnight at the Ghazipur protest site, Rakesh Tikait addressed the farmers again, and said many were coming there from other areas within the country "We appeal for a peaceful protest. People have started to come from different places. We are making arrangements for water, electricity via generators and other things. We will sit peacefully and continue," Tikait said.
As many police personnel in anti-riot gear, and Rapid Action Forces spread out across the area, securing the sidelines, the protesting farmers moved closer to the stage, from where Tikait regularly spoke.
Uttar Pradesh government ordered all its DMs and SSPs to ensure the end of all farmers’ protests in the state.
Around 70-100 locals from Bakhtawarpur and Hamidpur have assembled at Singhu border to protest against the farmers camping there on Thursday. They are carrying banners and placards speaking out against the violence by the farmers on Republic Day.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police has issued a notice against farmer representatives who have been named in the FIRs filed in connection with the violence that broke out during the farmers’ tractor parade in the city on January 26.
The farmers will also be asked to surrender their passports. The police have named 37 farmer leaders, including Rakesh Tikait, Yogendra Yadav, and Medha Patkar, in the FIR that mentioned charges of attempt to murder, rioting, and criminal conspiracy.
Leaders of 16 Opposition parties Thursday released a joint statement saying they would boycott the President’s address to Parliament on January 29, ahead of the commencement of the Budget session. The leaders reaffirmed their collective demand for the repeal of the three farm laws and threw their support behind the protesting farmers in a show of solidarity.
The Opposition leaders, from parties including the Congress, NCP, DMK, TMC, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, RJD, CPI, CPI(M) and PDP, said the legislations were “an assault on the rights of the States and violate the federal spirit of the Constitution”.
एक साइड चुनने का समय है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 28, 2021
मेरा फ़ैसला साफ़ है। मैं लोकतंत्र के साथ हूँ, मैं किसानों और उनके शांतिपूर्ण आंदोलन के साथ हूँ।
नई हवा है , नई सपा है
— Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) January 28, 2021
बड़ों का हाथ , युवा का साथ
देवरिया में सपा प्रबुद्धसभा के महासम्मेलन में उमड़ा जनसैलाब।
पूर्व विधानसभा अध्यक्ष श्री माता प्रसाद पांडेय, प्रबुद्ध सभा के प्रदेश अध्यक्ष श्री मनोज कुमार पांडेय रहे मौजूद।
सबका वोट लेकर सबको धोखा देने वाली BJP के दिन हुए पूरे। pic.twitter.com/TAFJKDI1TK
According to the Opposition, the laws were “brought without any consultations”, “lacked national consensus”, and “parliamentary scrutiny was bypassed… muzzling the Opposition”.
Photo courtesy of Istock.