Hundreds of farmers who had come to protest at Jantar Mantar from different parts of the country to demand better agricultural incentives and loan waivers to ease the crippling situation were detained by the police on Monday afternoon. They were let off later.
The farmers said they will launch a ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ from August 9 unless their demands are addressed immediately.
Specific demands
These demands, said farmers who had come from places including Uttar Pradesh and Kerala, were based on what was promised to them by the Centre and their respective States.
Specific demands included waiving piling agricultural loans and better minimum support price (MSP), both promised to them by the government.
The farmers started gathering around 11 a.m. at Jantar Mantar. They raised slogans against the government, saying that all their demands had fallen on deaf ears.
“Farmers are dying continuously but the government is yet to take a stand on the issue. What is the government doing? They accuse us of being politically motivated. We are farmers. The government should be ashamed of accusing us in stead of helping us,” said Shiv Kumar Sharma of the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh.
Claiming that 54 farmers had committed suicide in recent months in Madhya Pradesh, Kishan, a farmer said, they still have to brave bullets while making legitimate demands.
Later, the farmers started moving towards the Niti Aayog.
They were stopped by the policemen on duty. All the protesting farmers were taken to Parliament Street police station and detained.
The farmers continued to protest and shout slogans inside the police station before being released.
