Farmers Protest on Saturday: Delhi Metro to Shut Three Yellow Line Stations for 'Security Reasons'. Check Here

Several farmers camping at Delhi’s Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders will on Saturday observe ‘Save Agriculture, Save Democracy Day’ to mark the completion of seven months of their agitation against three farm laws passed by the government. Ahead of the protest, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has said that it will keep three stations of Yellow Line route – Vishwavidyalaya, Civil Lines and Vidhan Sabha – closed due to security reasons as advised of Delhi Police.

“As advised by Delhi Police, in view of security reasons, three Metro stations of Yellow Line namely, Vishwavidyalaya, Civil Lines and Vidhan Sabha will remain closed for public from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm tomorrow i.e, 26.06.2021 (Saturday),” the DMRC tweeted.

In a press statement, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) said, “Tomorrow, as thousands of farmers across India are getting ready to march in rallies to Raj Bhavans in different states, as an expression of solidarity, Indian diaspora has also decided to take out rallies. One such rally is being planned in Massachusetts in the USA.”

“More mobilisation of farmers is happening on the ground in different places, to strengthen the movement. Thousands of farmers from Saharanpur and Sisauli in Western Uttar Pradesh reached Ghazipur Gate led by BKU Tikait. In Punjab, farmers have begun engaging with migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to explain to them about the 3 black laws brought in by the Centre, requesting them to spread the word and join hands,” said the umbrella body of 40 farmer unions protesting against the central laws enacted in September last year.

The SKM, earlier in the day, submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind urging him to direct the Centre to immediately repeal the three “anti-farmer laws”. Through its memorandum, the SKM said, it conveyed the “anguish and deep anger” of crores of farming families of the country to the president.

In its memorandum, the SKM said, “… through this memorandum being submitted to you, we bring to you the anguish and deep anger of crores of farming families of the country. We hope that you will direct the Union government to immediately accept the legitimate demands of the farmers’ movement — repeal the three anti-farmer laws and enact a law that will guarantee remunerative MSP at C2+50 per cent for all farmers.”

In Haryana, the farmers will march to the Governor’s house in Chandigarh and submit a memorandum to the President. It will be sent through the Governor, said the BKU (Chaduni), a farmer union part of the SKM. The protesting farmers will assemble in the morning at Panchkula from where they will march towards the Raj Bhawan, it said.

Meanwhile, ahead of the scheduled protest by the agitating farmer, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar urged all the farmer unions to conclude their protest. “I urge all farmer unions to conclude their agitation. Government had held 11 rounds of talks with them. Farm Bills will bring betterment to the lives of farmers. Government of India has worked towards increasing MSP and towards more purchase at MSP,” said Tomar through media.

“A large section of the country stands in support of these laws. Still, if farmers have any objection against any provision of the laws, then Government is ready to listen to them, discuss with them and work on it,” he added.

Farmers have been protesting against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. They have been camping at Delhi borders since November last year demanding the withdrawal of these three laws and that a new law be made to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

Several rounds of talks between the farmers and the government have failed to break the deadlock over these contentious laws. The government last held talks with farmer leaders on January 22. The talks between the two sides came to a halt after a January 26 tractor parade by farmers in Delhi turned violent.

(with inputs from PTI)

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