Despite the ongoing discussions and negotiations with the central government, the farmers have declared their intentions to protest against the farm laws on January 26, in the national capital. With the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson all set to visit India later this month as the chief guest for the annual Republic Day parade, farmer unions camping on the borders of the national capital have now announced that they would be taking out a ‘tractor parade’ in New Delhi on 26 January.
This demeanour is miles apart from that of a body of individuals concerned with the resolution of a dispute and reveals a sinister motive of gaining international limelight.
Leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha told a media contingent of Saturday that tens of thousands of farmers will enter the national capital on Republic Day, and carry out a tractor parade if their demands for repeal of three farm laws and a law guaranteeing minimum prices for crops are not met.
Yogendra Yadav, a leader of the platform leading the protests said, “This is our ultimatum. If all issues are not resolved and our demands are not met by Republic Day, then we will start entering Delhi. The government is saying that 50% of the demands have been met. But the government has shown no signs of meeting our biggest demands.”
Darshan Pal, a senior farm union leader said, “Tractors from all neighbouring states will begin rolling into Delhi if matters are not resolved. Contingents from all current blockade sites will start moving. We will continue with our blockade of goods and services of Ambani and Adani, including their products, malls and petrol pumps.”
It is pertinent to note that the farmers are currently in talks with the government. Discussions are being held on the farm laws in which the government has promised to amend and incorporate all the provisions which the farmers deem fit. For that, the next round of talks is scheduled for January 4.
However, the farmers are already planning their next show. It was not given a miss by anyone that the supposedly huge tractor parade being planned by the farmer unions coincides with the state visit of UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
At a time of Boris Johnson visiting India, the protesting farmers are attempting to hog the limelight internationally by organising a parallel tractor rally on Republic Day. Needless to say, their sole motive is to demean and smear India internationally and convey the message that the country is going through major strife, even as Boris Johnson and Narendra Modi get ready to further strengthen Indo-British ties.
Reeking of a larger anti-India plot at play, this illegal move by protesting farmers would not only lead to an eruption of large-scale violence but also besmirch India’s image in the eyes of Boris Johnson and the global community, which seems to be the real and only intent of the farmer spectacle.