Scrap agri bills: Farmer leader writes to PM in blood

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) chief Sheoraj Singh on Wednesday wrote a letter in blood to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the repeal of the three new farm laws that have stoked massive protests by farmers' unions in north India.

The letter by Singh, who is camping at the Dalit Prerna Sthal in Noida along with his faction members since December 2, came as protestors marked the birth anniversary of former prime minister and farmers' leader Chaudhary Charan Singh.

'Take back the agriculture bill, make law to ensure guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) and form a kisaan aayog (farmers commission),' he wrote in the brief letter addressed to PM Modi.

BKU (Lok Shakti) spokesperson Shailesh Kumar Giri said the letter has been handed over to the Noida administration, whose officials have assured that it would be forwarded to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

'I have received the letter from the farmers' union which has been written in blood. The letter will be sent to the Prime Minister's Officer through our district magistrate, as per procedures,' Noida City Magistrate Uma Shankar told PTI.

Around 200 protestors gathered at the Dalit Prerna Sthal on Wednesday with more 60 to 70 more members of the BKU (Lok Shakti) from Khurja in Bulandshahr joining their counterparts from Noida, Greater Noida, Aligarh, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Firozabad, etc.

Separately, scores of protestors, chiefly belonging to BKU (Bhanu), continued their demonstrations against the three new farm laws at the Chilla border between Noida and Delhi.

The BKU (Bhanu) protestors, including its national chief Bhanu Pratap Singh and UP unit chief Yogesh Pratap Singh, are at the spot since December 1.

Asked about the law and order situation, City Magistrate Uma Shankar said, "There is no law and order problem as such."

The farmers' agitation, however, led to the continued closure of the Noida to Delhi carriageway of the Noida-Delhi Link Road via Chilla on Wednesday.

The other lane (Delhi to Noida) of the road is open for commuters, according to Noida Traffic Police officials, who suggested the alternative DND and Kalindi Kunj routes for avoiding inconvenience.

The protestors who have gathered in Noida belong to various districts of western Uttar Pradesh, and they want to go to Delhi to join the bigger stir called chiefly by the farmer unions of Punjab and Haryana.

Thousands of farmers are currently staying put at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in protest against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

They have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the 'mercy' of big corporations.

However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.