Farmers’ protest | We will block highways on February 6, say farmer leaders
The HinduFarmer leaders heading the agitation against the three farm laws on Monday announced to block the national and State highways across the country on February 6 in support of their demands. Making the announcement, Balbir Singh Rajewal, who heads a faction of the Bharatiya Kisan Union in Punjab, accused the government of repression by blocking roads around the protest sites, suspending Internet services and snapping the water and power supply at the three sites. Fears over FCI Accusing the government of being ‘arrogant’ and ‘shrewd’ to reduce the budgetary allocation for agriculture amid the ongoing agitation, Swaraj India national president Yogendra Yadav said the government had not allocated anything for the FCI. The farmer unions, in a press statement, said the Budget had proved the farmers’ apprehensions right — that this government is on a path of withdrawing support to agriculture, not strengthening it. Even as the farmers announced the protest plan, the Ministry of Home Affairs extended the suspension of Internet till 11 p.m. on February 2 at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri — the three protest sites.