Jammu: The J&K Kisan Tehrik and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Saturday staged a protest outside the Raj Bhawan here in support of the ongoing farmers’ agitation demanding a repeal of the three new Central agri laws.
The protesters were led by the CITU state president and CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami who criticised the Centre over its response to the “historic struggle of farmers” and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give up what he called his “rigidity” and accept the demands of the agitating farmer.
“The farmers of J&K are united in the agitation of farmers in the rest of the country. The farmers are the backbone of the nation and if they are weak, the society as well as the country will be weak,” Tarigami told reporters.
The protest was organised in response to a joint call given by the CITU, the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and the All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU) in support of the ongoing farmers’ agitation, a spokesperson of the J&K Kisan Tehrik said.
“We have only one demand with the Prime Minister: give up rigidity which looks good only against the enemies of the nation and not against the citizens of the country.
“Those claiming to be nationalists should accept the demand of the farmers who are food-providers and the backbone of the country,” Tarigami said.
He appealed to all sections of the society to stand firm behind the protesting farmers and said their agitation is “not an opposition conspiracy but linked to the survival and safeguards for the farmers,” the CPI(M) leader said.
The protesters chanted slogans in support of farmers’ demands and later dispersed peacefully.
