Thousands of Farmers Have Come to Delhi Today to Protest Land Bill

Thousands of  farmers from across the country who are  protesting the land bill at Jantar Mantar in the capital today, have vowed they won't move unless the government ordinance is withdrawn.

The farmers say that the bill, which has done away with the clause seeking their consent before acquiring land, is against farmers. Their protest comes a day after 14 political parties marched to the President's House to protest the land bill.

Today, the farmers, gathered under the aegis of the Bhartiya Kissan Union, are also demanding that the government  help those farmers whose rabi crops have been destroyed  by the unseasonal rains.

"My land is everything for me, but I have been forced to pawn it off," said 44-year-old Vatibai Khangar, one of the protesting farmers, to NDTV. "I have Rs three lakhs in unpaid loans. And these rains ruined my standing crop of wheat. What will my children get to eat now?" said the farmer who has come from Jhansi to Delhi to protest, leaving her young children behind.

Om Singh Yadav, 27,  another farmer, asked why it was difficult to convince leaders to give farmers the right price for their produce.  "Do you want to see farmers die?" said the farmer from Mainpuri district in Uttar Pradesh.

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A group of farmers from Patiala in Punjab, said they wanted the implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission -- that has submitted five reports from December 2004 - October 2006 --  on the status of farmers. They said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised its implementation if he came to power,  but it appears he has now forgotten his promise.

The government needs to pass the bill in both houses of Parliament soon; the ordinance or emergency executive order that it seeks to ratify will lapse on April 5.

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