Two days after violence erupted during Tractor Rally on Republic Day, reports suggested that farmers' protest in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur will be phased out. Later, on the same day, farmers claimed that the Uttar Pradesh Police have given an ultimatum to clear the protest site.
Speaking to The Quint on Thursday, 28 January, farmers reiterated that their peaceful protest will continue, and that more people will be joining them in the days to come. Farmers, from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at the protest site against the three contentious agriculture laws, for over two months.
"We won't return home until the government takes back the farm laws. The camps are not empty, they are all sitting in protest against the laws. There is no talk about farmers going back, neither will we go back," said Ajab Singh, who has been protesting in Ghazipur for the last two months.
"Some had come just for Tractor Rally. They have returned home but some more farmers will join us in the coming days," Ajab, a native of Sitapur district, added.
'There Is Nothing to Fear': Farmers Reiterate
Subash Singh, who has been camping in Ghazipur for the last one month and participated in Tractor Rally, said that farmers are fighting for their rights and have nothing to fear.
“There is no fear. People have gone to visit the farmer’s family who lost his life in the rally. But there is no fear. A farmer works alone in the field at night, without electricity. So, how will cutting electricity here scare us?”
"We are fighting for our rights. So why should we fear? We are not stealing, rioting, beating up or attacking people. What do we have to fear,” another farmer added.
"The government is constantly feeding the narrative that farmers are scared after 26 January. But again, what should we fear? We are protesting peacefully. What have we done wrong here," said Ajab.
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