Farmers observing Black Day- Is this crowd without mask fine amid COVID?

New Delhi, May 26: Farmers at Ghaziabad border protest and observe 'black day', as their agitation against Farm Laws continues. The protest comes even as Punjab, Haryana and Delhi are observing a lockdown due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation. Farmers have been protesting since November 26 last year against the farm laws passed by the Centre including Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

 

 

"On 26 May, we will complete six months of this protest and it also happens to mark seven years since PM Modi formed the government. We will observe it as black day," said farmers leader Balbir Singh Rajewal. He appealed to the farmers to raise blags at their houses, vehicles and shops on the day.

 

 

"We appeal to people of the country and also Punjab to hang black flags at their house, shops, trucks and other vehicles. We will also burn effigies of (PM) Narendra Modi as a form of protest," Rajewal had said. The farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the farm laws passed by the Centre.

 

 

Earlier, the Haryana CM had urged farmers to suspend their protest during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, claiming that their movements to and from dharna sites were spreading the infection in villages. Khattar had said, "In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, I once again appeal to the farmer leaders to suspend their protests. The only goal for all of us should be to save the lives of people in the time of this crisis. There is nothing more than human life."

 

 

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday had also extended its support to the call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) to observe a countrywide protest on May 26 and observe it as a "Black Day For Democracy". In a tweet, AAP leader Raghav Chadha urged the Centre to immediately resume talks with the farmers and accede to their demands.

 

 

Moreover, 12 opposition parties on Sunday extended their support to the decision of the farmers' body. "We extend our support to the call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) to observe a countrywide protest day on May 26 marking the completion of six months of the heroic peaceful Kisan struggle," read the joint statement issued by 12 major opposition parties.

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