Day 192

Toll 502

#FarmersProtest

JJP’s Babli Apologises

Late last night, JJP leader and MLA Devender Singh Babli, apologised to farmers for having abused them on June 1. The farmers had given him a deadline of June 7. This was the result of thousands of farmers gathering yesterday at Anaj Mandi in Tohana town of Fatehabad district and later carrying out a march in the town to reach Tohana police station to court arrest.

A panicked administration called for a meeting in which Babli spoke with Tikait, Chaduni, and other leaders and agreed to publicly apologise. (See video) The farmers have accepted the apology. However, the farmers protest is still on in Tohana police station to free two of their members kept under arrest by police.

After Hisar, this is the second farmer win against administration. The farmers now understand the game plan: administration provokes farmers with the intention of them getting violent, collecting in huge numbers, and staying confined to agitating within Haryana. This helps government contain the protests to the state instead of them being focussed on Delhi, especially Uttar Pradesh which will now be going to elections in six months.

The government won’t succeed. Huge numbers of farmers keep reaching the Delhi borders from Panjab. The two arrested farmers should be released today and farmers will stay focussed on Delhi. The government better learn that these small-time games won’t work. It will have to relent.