Protesting farmers stay firm
The HinduW hen, on January 20, the Union government offered to suspend the implementation of the three farm laws—the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce Act, the Farmers Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities Act, 2020—for one to one and a half years, there was a flicker of optimism of a “thaw” in the government’s position. “His body would be kept near our stage and sent home with full honors,” said Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary of the KSMC. Despite being un-acclimatised to the severe cold conditions, made worse with the exposed highway on either side, Kerala farmers Krishna Kumar from Kottayam district, Unni Ravi from Pathanamthitta, Vijish from Palakkad, Gokul from Kasargod, and Sharat from Kannur sat along with Bapuram from Dungarpur, Champalal Jatrinayak and Dinakar Bhartiya from Lok Samgharsh Morcha, Maharashtra, to observe a 24-hour relay hunger strike, a regular feature at the Shahjahanpur protest site. We will compel the government to take back the laws,” said Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary of the KSMC.