Opposition demands larger venue, food & lodging facility for protesting farmers in Delhi
Nov 28, 2020
New Delhi [India], November 28 : Asserting that the Burari ground on the outskirts of the national capital is "too small to accommodate tens of thousands" of farmers, leaders of several opposition parties issued a joint statement on Saturday demanding a larger venue for them to protest against the new farm laws, besides food and lodging facilities in Delhi.
In the statement addressed to the central government, titled "Hear Our Farmers' Voice: Stop Repression", the opposition leaders said that use of tear gas, water cannons, roadblocks, police barricades, and digging up the national highways surrounding Delhi was akin to waging a "war" on the protesting farmers.
"Braving severe repression, tear-gassing, heavy water-cannoning, roadblocks, police barricades and digging up the national highways surrounding Delhi is akin to waging a war on our farmers. Tens of thousands of farmers have successfully reached the national capital of Delhi. We salute their determination and courage in this massive protest demanding the withdrawal of the retrograde anti-kisan agriculture laws," said the statement.
They added a larger ground like the "Ram Lila Maidan" in Delhi should be allotted to the protesting farmers.
"This ground, however, is too small for the tens of thousands who have reached Delhi. We the undersigned demand that a larger ground like Ram Lila Maidan or similar must be allotted for this peaceful protest and all necessary arrangements must be made for their stay and food," added state statement signed by NCP's Sharad Pawar, DMK's T R Baalu, RJD's Manoj Jha, and CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury among others.
The statement added that the central government must adhere to the democratic process and norms and address the concerns of the protesting farmers.
The farmers have been allotted a ground in Burari on the outskirts of Delhi after the administration opened Tikri border with Haryana on Friday.
