Farmers protesting against the recently passed farm bills sat on a day-long hunger strike on Monday with Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal extending his support behind them.
Mr Kejriwal had announced he would also sit on hunger strike. He also urged everyone to join. “Upvas pavitra hota hai, aap jaha hain wahi kisanon ke liye upwas kijiye,” he tweeted.
Chhatisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel told Indian Express, “The present movement is by farmers, and it is against the black laws implemented by the government. They are being referred to as farm laws, but they are just capitalist laws. The farmer will get no benefit from them. The farmers are on the streets because their livelihoods, their families, their future, everything is at stake. As a political party, we have supported their fight.”
He added, “Firstly, our people could not join the protests physically (at the Delhi border) because of the distance. Secondly, the purchase of paddy began in the state on December 1. In (Punjab, Haryana) paddy is harvested in September and October. Wheat has already been sown. In Chhattisgarh, the farmers have just completed their paddy harvest, and now they are selling it. About 11 lakh tonnes of paddy has been purchased so far. About 94 per cent of the farmers in Chhattisgarh are selling their produce at MSP in the state. That is why I say that the Chhattisgarh model should be implemented across the country.”