Mamata speaks to agitating farmers at Singhu border, assures solidarity

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday addressed agitating farmers at the Singhu border on the phone and assured them of her full solidarity with their movement, a TMC statement said.

A delegation of five MPs of the Trinamool Congress including Derek O'Brien, Satabdi Roy, Prasun Banerjee, Pratima Mondal and Md Nadimul Haque met and interacted with the agitating farmers at the Singhu border, who are on a relay hunger strike, as a mark of solidarity with their movement.

The TMC said that from the protest site, many farmers in small groups had an interaction on the phone with Mamata Banerjee, who assured them of her full solidarity with their movement.

 

Some farmers also requested her to visit the dharna site, it said. The farmers again reiterated their demand that the Centre must repeal the three new farm laws.

The Trinamool Congress said that it is unfortunate that farmers, who feed the entire country are being forced to go hungry.

"Fourteen years ago, Mamata Banerjee went on a historic 26-day hunger strike against the forceful acquisition of agricultural land, demanding justice for the farmers of Singur. Her stand was vindicated by the Supreme Court in 2016," the party said.

"Trinamool Congress will stand by the farmers in solidarity in this movement to repeal the anti-farmer Bills," it added.

The farmers have been protesting for the last 28 days. They are holding a relay hunger strike on the 'Kisan Diwas', which is celebrated on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.

The farmers have been demanding the repealing of the farm laws and also guarantee of the minimum support price.

Earlier, the talks of the government with the farmers failed on five occasions. The Union Agriculture Ministry has invited the farmers for the sixth round of talks, the date of which will be decided by the farmers.

--IANS

aks/kr