DMK president M.K. Stalin on Friday condemned the remarks of some Union ministers of the BJP labelling farmers protesting in Delhi seeking a repeal of the three Farm Laws, as anti-national elements, terrorists, and stooges of foreign governments. He termed such descriptions “shameful”.
Speaking at a fast organised in support of the farmers by the DMK, Mr. Stalin said the farmers were being labelled with such allegations by the Central government when all they wanted was a repeal of the three Laws. Leaders and functionaries of constituents of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance also took part in the fast.
“The whole of India is up against these Farm Laws; Delhi is under siege. Farmers from North India are going towards Delhi with their families and are braving the harsh winter staying on the roads. But the BJP government is not bothered about any of this. All the farmers are protesting these three Acts, as these will destroy their livelihoods and lives,” he charged.
Mr. Stalin said before tabling the Bills, the government should have held talks with the farmers and a discussion in Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The government should have upheld democracy. “But the Central government didn’t do any of this. What is the urgency to bring in these Laws, for whose protection have they brought these in?” he asked.
The DMK president alleged the Central government was enacting a drama saying that it was holding talks with the farmers. The farmers, however, have only one demand -- the repeal of the three Farm Laws.
He said farmers were protesting with the sole objective of having to save their lives and are moving towards Delhi every day. “The Centre is not bothered. We are holding this protest to condemn the Centre and to extend support to the farmers. The demand for the repeal of the laws is the demand of the farmers, our demand and the people’s demand,” he said. Mr. Stalin said the alliance’s protest will continue till the Laws are repealed.
