HYDERABAD: Farmers from Telangana on Tuesday participated in a long procession in Hyderabad with their tractors and other vehicles in solidarity with farmers protesting in Delhi for over past two months demanding rollback of the three agriculture laws enacted by the central government.
The 10-km long parade by farmers was also joined in by people from other walks of life with their cars, auto-rickshaws and two-wheelers. The event passed off peacefully. Though permission for the procession was initially refused by the Hyderabad city police, it was allowed following intervention by the Telangana High Court, which heard an urgent appeal by Telangana Rythu Sangham. The procession started from Saroornagar Stadium and culminated at Uppal Cross Roads.
Amid chanting of slogans demanding withdrawal of farm laws and making minimum support prices for various crops a law, thousands marched accusing the BJP-led government at the centre of favouring corporate companies. Such processions, being organised all across the country, are an attempt to counter claims of the central government that protests by farmers are confined only to two or three states in the north, the rally organisers stated.
According to Saraswati Kavula, a farmer taking part in the protest, “The procession will turn out historic in India’s republic as true manifestation of people’s power. Majority of people of this country, who are farmers, have come to rescue democracy.” She declared that the executive will have to back down before the people’s power and scrap the three black laws.
Kiran Vissa, another farm leader, said “Along with farmers, people from all walks of life, including domestic workers, street hawkers, teachers and IT employees, have taken part in the rally. It sends a clear message to the central government that all citizens of the country are supporting the farmers’ movement.”
Telengana Rythu Sangam secretary T. Sagar felt the union government should at least now realise that the farmers’ movement is not going to end unless the three laws are withdrawn.
