As many as 196 important personalities have signed a memorandum demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervene to end the government stand-off with the farmers.
The signatories demanded that Mr. Modi, who described himself as being ‘just a call away’ for the people, initiate meaningful talks with the farmers.
They demanded that false cases slapped against the agitating farmers be withdrawn and facilities such as water supply and electricity and Internet connections be restored.
The signatories included poet K. Satchidanandan; activist G. Haragopal; writers Kanchan Kumar, Katyayani Vidmahe, Afsar, B.R.P. Bhaskar, Rahul Purakayastha, and A.K.Prabhakar; former High Court judge P.K. Shamsuddin; social worker J. Devika, and Porattam activist M.N. Ravunni.
The signatories also included journalists, academics, professionals, rights activists, freedom fighters, lawyers and artists from across the country.
The memorandum titled ‘The Clarion Call’ requested the Centre to withdraw the farm laws with potential to break the backs of the farmers and the public distribution system. It also asked the government to withdraw all ‘war moves’ against the farmers. The expressed sadness over the way the U.P. government treated the farmers peacefully protesting against the new farm laws. “Their struggle is being confronted by snapping electricity and Internet connections and blocking drinking water supply. The removal of waste is also blocked. One can well imagine the awful conditions that will be prevailing in those places where lakhs of peasants have been squatting since two months, along with their families,” it said.
“Hurdles have been put up in all the roads from the villages to the struggle centres, fixing spikes, digging trenches, and laying down layers of barbed wire, literally erecting road-fortresses. This apart from the thousands of police and paramilitary personnel deployed there,” the signatories said.
