Amid their two-day protest march in New Delhi calling for a special Parliament session to address their demands, farmers have written a letter to the common masses, apologising for the trouble caused to them. In addition, they have also requested the public to join them as they march to the Parliament on Friday, November 30 to support their cause.
Titled, “Forgive us”, the letter states, “You must have faced trouble because of our march.” Continuing, it mentions, “We are farmers. It is not our intention to trouble you. We are worried ourselves. We have come from afar to tell you and the government about our problems. We just need a minute from you.”
माफ़ कीजिएगा!
हमारे इस मार्च से आपको परेशानी हुई होगी.
हम किसानों का ये संदेश एक बार जरूर पढलेना और हो सके तो हमारी सहायता करना!RT if u agree!@dhruv_rathee @waglenikhil@PreetiSMenon @khanumarfa @ravishndtv @_YogendraYadav @kapsology#KisanMuktiMarch #DilliChalo #FarmersMarch pic.twitter.com/5ltW3EoiKu
— Vishnu (@_MeVishnu) November 30, 2018
The letter, then, proceeds to highlight how the farmers are facing woes—not only in terms of growing crops—even when they try to sell it in the market. In the letter, the farmers note, “This is our worry. We buy everything on costlier terms and sell them cheaply. Even our lives are cheap. In the last 20 years, more than three lakh farmers have committed suicide.”
Also Read: Statue of Unity: Drought-hit Kutch Farmers Protest Against Govt Diverting Water to ‘Boating Arena’
About the government’s apathy, the letter mentions, “The key to our troubles is with the government but it does not listen to us. The key to the government is with the media but they do not see us. And the key to the media is with you (the public). In the hope that you will listen to us, we have come to explain our worries and problems.”
Outlining the demands of the farmers, the letter states, “All we want is that a special Parliament session to address the problems of the farmers is called for, and two laws benefiting the farmers are passed. One, a law to fix a reasonable price for the produce, and the second, a law to provide debt relief to the farmers. We are not asking for anything wrong, are we? “
Concluding, the letter asks of the public, “If you feel we are right then walk two steps with us in this march. Tomorrow, November 30, we will be gathering together at the Parliament Road. If you come there, our morale will be boosted. You will come, will you not?”
The farmers’ polite invocation comes as a stark contrast to the continued indifference of the government to their plight. It was also telling that even as the farmers began their protest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi left the country to attend the G20 Summit in Argentina.
Also Read: Farmers From Across India Converge in Delhi for Historic Protest Against the Government