Image: Facebook / Kisan Ekta Morcha
 

Shortly after farmers leaders’ offer of refuge for India’s workers at protest sites, farmers and activists near Ghazipur border began making and distributing food packets at bus stands and railway stations in Delhi.

As per a press release on April 21, 2021, protesters also handed food packages to migrant laborers at Anand Vihar bus base on the previous day. According to Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) Spokesperson Paramjeet Singh Katyal, protest sites have plenty of food and hut-like structures for both protesters and migrant workers.

“The call was given by farmer leaders Rakesh Tikait and Gurnam Singh Chaduni. We have plenty of space and relief material, so we decided to invite city’s workers, who are again planning to return home. At the same time, around six thousand women have assembled at the Tikri border. Protest sites are slowly regaining their strength,” he said.

SKM leader Darshan Pal condemned the central government for blaming farmers for the worsening coronavirus conditions while there are reports of long journeys by migrant laborers across India. He blamed the neoliberal policies of the government that include the three contentious farm laws.

“The result of open market and privatization policies is that today thousands of millions of laborers are wandering in cities for cheap wages. Instead of strengthening the farming sector, the government wants to create cheap laborers in cities by creating a farming crisis, but now the peasant laborers will fight back against these policies at all costs,” he said.

The SKM also alleged that the BJP IT cell was spreading the lie that farmers stopped oxygen trucks and other essentials at Delhi borders. The SKM condemned such claims and reminded that in this battle of existence, farmers are fighting with Covid-19 as well as the government.

Further, members said that farmers have opened avenues for essential services from the first day of protest.

“The biggest barricade imposed by the government is the biggest barrier. We appeal to the government to break the lockout of Delhi so that no one has any problem. The government is running away from its responsibility in the fight against Covid-19 but on humanitarian grounds the farmer is with citizens,” said the SKM.

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