Farmers protesting against the Centre’s agricultural laws at Delhi’s border points on Monday said that they will block roads across the country for three hours on Saturday, ANI reported.
“There will be a country-wide agitation on February 6; we will block roads between 12 pm and 3 pm,” farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said.
Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav flagged that the government had not provided financial support to the Food Corporation of India in the new Budget.
“Last year, Budget allocation for financial support extended through loans to FCI for procurement [of crops] at MSP [minimum support price] was Rs 1,36,600 crore,” he said. “Less than Rs 85,000 was spent. No amount is allocated this year. Such things make farmers think that it’s a conspiracy to shut FCI.” He added that the farmers will block state and national highways.
The protesting farmers are also upset over restrictions on internet and power supply at the protest sites. The Centre has extended the ban on internet services near the Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri borders till Tuesday night.
The farmers had scrapped plans for their march to the Parliament on Budget day in view of the violence at their Republic Day tractor rally. The Delhi Police have so far filed 44 cases and arrested 122 people in connection with the violence.
The farmers’ tractor rally on Republic Day turned chaotic after a section of protestors deviated from the routes agreed to with the Delhi Police. One protestor was killed in the clashes. Prominent farmer unions and leaders distanced themselves from the violence, and blamed it on certain “anti social elements”. However, several farmer leaders were named in FIRs related to the violence.
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