New Delhi: Farmers across the country held demonstrations outside state Raj Bhawans and submitted protest letters (rosh patra) to the Governors expressing anguish over the Modi government's refusal to roll back the controversial farm laws.
In a series of tweets, the Kisan Ekta Morcha, which is spearheading the Delhi border agitation, tweeted photos of the massive protests by farmers who came on tractors, buses and cars to petition the Haryana governor in Chandigarh; as well as those who had assembled at the Raj Bhawans in Kolkata, Lucknow and many other state capitals.
"As the farmers' agitation completes 7 months of immense struggle, with affirmed aptitude & attitude, they are all set for a prolonged & intensified protest until Black Farm Laws Are Rolled Back," the Morcha tweeted.
There was also a demonstration before the residence of Delhi Lt. Governor, but the police detained Poonam Kaushik, coordinator of Delhi for Farmers (DFF), a day after giving it permission to hold its "dharna" at Civil Lines metro station near the LG House.
In a statement, the DFF said their peaceful "dharna" was in response to the call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha to "Save agriculture and save democracy."
The DFF said the Modi government has spoken out against the Emergency of 1975 but was imposing an undeclared one, throttling in Delhi any solidarity action for the widely supported farmers' struggle.
The Congress also held a Press conference to fully support the farmers decision to hold protests on Delhi’s borders. Its chief spokesman and general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Modi government has been punishing the farmers not for seven months, but for the past seven years, starting with an Ordinance issued way back in 2014 to acquire their land without appropriate compensation. He posed seven questions to the Modi government on its continuous anti-farmer policies.