Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said he would observe a day-long fast in solidarity with the demands being made by farmers across the country. Mr. Kejriwal also hit out at BJP leaders for defaming the protesting farmers by calling them anti-national.
In a press statement, Mr. Kejriwal said, “The farmers have appealed to the people to fast for a day in their support, I will also fast tomorrow in support of our farmers. I want to appeal to the supporters and volunteers of AAP to also fast in support of the farmers.” He added that lakhs of people who were with the farmers and could not reach the borders because of their day-to-day schedule but were supporting the farmers should also observe a fast for a day to support the demands of the farmers.
The Chief Minister said the attacks by BJP leaders against the farmers by calling them anti-national was similar to the way the Congress attacked the India Against Corruption Movement. “I could not help but reminisce the days of Anna Hazare Ji’s movement...” he said.
Mr. Kejriwal appealed to the Central government to put an end to its ego and scrap these farm laws and accept the demands of the farmers. The BJP government, he said, had mistaken the farmers’ movement as a small movement comprising only a few people but in reality, every person in this country understood the intricacies of these laws and wanted these laws repealed.
The Chief Minister said the attacks by BJP leaders against the farmers by calling them anti-national was similar to the way the Congress attacked the India Against Corruption Movement. “I could not help but reminisce the days of Anna Hazare Ji’s movement. Even in those days, they called us anti-nationals. The attempts made by the Congress to malign our movement in those days, the same kind of attempts are made by the BJP against the farmers’ movements today. They should not dare to call the farmers of the nation anti-nationals,” he said.
Mr. Kejriwal added that ex-servicemen and ex-army men, who fought for the country by risking their own lives, were sitting with the farmers on the borders of Delhi. Sportsmen who had brought laurels for the nation were also sitting on the borders in support of farmers. The entire country was supporting the farmers as people had understood the new laws well.
“I want to appeal to the Central government to put an end to its ego. Governments are formed by the public, the public is not formed by the governments. The three farm laws should be immediately repealed and the farmers should be given guaranteed MSP, and a new Bill should be passed on it. All the demands of the farmers should be accepted without any condition as soon as possible,” the Chief Minister said.
