RAWALPINDI:
Despite his best efforts, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not able to sow seeds of discord among the farmers’ unions. He managed to wean away Naresh Tikait, a farmers’ leader, but his brother Rakesh Tikait refused to end the protest. He is now on hunger strike until the government accepts their proposal.
To express solidarity with the farmers, 18 opposition parties boycotted the Indian Presidential address that took place on January 29, 2021, as well as the joint sitting of the parliament at the start of the budget session. They heavily criticised the government for obduracy.
Till now almost 155 farmers, braving water cannons, tear gas and baton charge, have already lost their lives. The government-sponsored media published stories that the movement was being backed up by Khalistani and Pakistani elements in order to delude the people into believing differently. They claimed that Pakistani drones allegedly dropped hand-grenades in East Punjab which apparently never exploded. The government even drooped down to such an extent that they filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court to affirm its allegation of foreign aid to the peaceful movement.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 1sh, 2021.
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