Updated: November 29, 2020 8:09:25 pm
Farmers protesting at the Singhu border in Delhi on November 28 (Photo: Reuters)
Farmers gathered at the borders of the national capital on Sunday refused to go to the Burari Park in New Delhi, where the Center invited them for dialogue, and said they will stay until they are allowed to go to Jantar Mantar to organize their protest. Follow LIVE updates of farmers’ protests
“We will never go to Burari Park. We have come to know that it is not a park but an open jail, “said Surjeet Singh, state president of Bhartiya Kisan Union Krantikari, at a press conference on the Singhu border in Delhi.
Singh said farmers would block five of Delhi’s entry points.
“Today we learned that farmers from Uttarakhand came to Delhi and said they wanted to go to Jantar Mantar. The Delhi police told them that they would be taken there, but instead they were held in Burari Park. We will block Delhi from five points of entry. We will also not allow any political person to organize protests with us, ”Singh added.
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Farmers at the press conference also outlined their demands: that the three core “anti-farmer and pro-corporation” agricultural laws be repealed; The PEM and the crop purchase rate must be guaranteed; the electricity ordinance is stopped; and the fine for burning stubble disappears. The Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 eliminates the subsidy that farmers receive on their energy bills.
Interior Minister Amit Shah had softened the central government’s stance on Friday, offering hold talks with protesting farmers if they moved to Burari ground.
“Some farmers and farmers unions are demanding that the talks take place soon instead of December 3. So I assure everyone that as soon as you move to the land of Burari, the government is ready to talk with you the next day, ”Shah said in a statement.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, whose state has witnessed the most determined protests, welcomed Shah’s move, even offering to meditate between farmers and the Center.
However, the farmers rejected the offer. Shah had personally called three farmer leaders: Joginder Singh Ugrahan, President of Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan), Jagjit Singh Dallewal, President of BKU (Sidhupur) and Balbir Singh Rajewal, President of BKU (Rajewal).
Ugrahan Sunday said The Indian Express“The Minister of the Interior of the Union called me around 12:20 on Friday. He urged us not to seal the borders of Delhi and instead go to Nirankari Bhawan, Burari. We understand that blocking the borders is causing inconvenience to the masses, but we are not ready to move to Burari. Jantar Mantar is a place where everyone houses their protest. Why can’t farmers do the same? “
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