Nearly 500 farmers boarded buses for Delhi from Lower PMG Square near the Odisha Assembly on Friday to join their brethren braving the winter chill in the national capital to protest against the new farm laws.
The bunch appeared to be in high spirits with even the older ones among them confident of victory of the farmers in their agitation.
Surendranath Maharana, 70, who has lost a few of his teeth, said he was not bothered about the winter in Delhi. “Just give your phone number. I will give a call when I return from Delhi. I will return only after we emerge victorious,” he said.
BJD in a bind on farm laws Due to party s growing closeness with the BJP, it is not in a position to directly oppose the Centre on the farmers’ issue
The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha, which follows an avowed policy of maintaining equidistance from the Congress and the BJP, is being pushed into a corner on the issue of farmers’ agitation.
Due to the BJD’s growing closeness with the BJP, the party led by chief minister Naveen Patnaik is not in a position to directly oppose the Centre on the farmers’ issue, according to farmer leaders.
Farmer leaders on Friday criticised Union minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi’s statement that anti-national forces are behind the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the new farm laws.
Sarangi, the Union minister of state for animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries, had said earlier on Friday: “No one, neither the farmers nor their leaders, is above the law. The farmers have been instigated to organise the agitation. There is no ground for agitation. Anti-national forces are behind the agitation. These reforms are for the good of farmers.”
Soon after Sarangi made the statement at the BJP party office, state convener of the All India Kishan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, Suresh Panigrahi, termed Sarangi, who hails from Odisha, as anti-farmer.