Farmer Union calls on protestors to postpone stir; cites COVID-19 deaths at Singhu border

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in the country, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Kisan Sarkar) spokesperson Bhopal Singh on Thursday called on the farmers to postpone their agitation against the Centre’s farm laws.

Noting that two farmers protesting at the Singhu border in Delhi have succumbed to COVID-19, the BKU leader said the agitation can be carried out in the future but the present situation is not right. Sending out a message to the farmers who have been demonstrating against the Central laws since last year, Bhopal Singh said it is important for the farmers to stay alive and fit to carry out the movement.

“Two farmers have died at the Singhu border due to Coronavirus. If farmers keep dying like this who will agitate? So, I'd like to request to farmers, that looking at the crisis in the country, we must postpone agitation for the time being. If farmers survive, only then will we be called 'anndata'. We will be called that only if we will be able to save our crops and lives. We will carry out the agitation in future, but the situation is not right now. We must be with the nation in these difficult times,” said Bhopal Singh.

Haryana CM appeals farmers to halt protests

Last week, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also appealed to the farmer's community to suspend their dharnas for the time being due to the COVID-19 situation in the country. Khattar stated that those who were attending the protests were bringing back the virus to the interiors of their villages.

"A month ago, I had appealed to farmer leaders to suspend protest amid COVID-19 spread and resume after the situation is under control. Now, it has emerged that these dharnas have made a few villages hotspot as villagers travelled back and forth to protest sites," he said. "If they wish to restart these dharnas once the situation is under control, they are free to do so," PTI quoted Khattar as saying in a conference.

BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait countered the Chief Minister’s appeal by claiming that the government had failed to handle the situation and was passing the buck on farmers. Tikait questioned whether COVID-19 was spreading only due to their protests and asked him to arrange for vaccines, testing and hospital beds.

Speaking to ANI, Tikait said, "According to him (Khattar), COVID is spreading from our protests only What about elections in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh? The government has failed and he is blaming us. We are fully secured, if he has a problem, he should increase hospital, beds, and vaccines.”