'Centre afraid of public support to farmers' Sainath

Gandhinagar/New Delhi: Terming the ongoing farmers' protests against the three farm laws brought in by the BJP-led NDA government, as the biggest ever agitation and a direct fight of farmers against the corporates, noted agricultural journalist P. Sainath has said that the government is afraid of the wide support the farmers are receiving from all sections of society.

Sainath, the 2007 Ramon Magsaysay Award winner, asked for a special Parliament session to be held for the agrarian crisis and the farmers' welfare and requested that district committees be formed to put forth this demand.

The noted journalist, who has authored the book, 'Everybody Loves a Good Drought' asked the people to take a stand on the farmers' issue as ultimately the farmers were fighting for the public.

"I ask, which side of the border would have Mahatma Gandhi stood, which side of the border do we stand? Is it on the side of the government that is favouring the corporates or the side where around 200 farmers are martyred for a cause which affected us all?" asked Sainath.

The Congress on Sunday slammed the BJP-led Centre over the arrest of a freelance journalist from the Singhu border with party leader Rahul Gandhi saying those who fear truth arrest honest scribes. Mandeep Punia was arrested from the Singhu border on Sunday for allegedly misbehaving with the police personnel on duty at the farmers' protest site there, officials said.

Farmer leader Naresh Tikait said that protesting farmers will honour the dignity of prime minister, but are also committed to protecting their self-respect, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government was just a "phone call away" for talks with them.

The farmers' protest in the Ghazipur area at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border has gained momentum again as both the crowd and police deployment has swelled up. "People had started to pour in from January 28th night onwards. Before that, there were 2,000-3,000 people, which has now increased to more than 10,000," said Pawan Khatana, Bharat Kisan Union's Uttar Pradesh Member.