'A plan to instigate and defame': SKM cautions farmers against Haryana BJP's Tiranga Yatra

Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmers unions leading protests against the three central agricultural laws, on Sunday urged farmers of Haryana to not oppose the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) "Tiranga Yatra," which, the body claimed, is a "devious plan to instigate and defame farmers."

"The proposed Tiranga Yatra of the BJP's Haryana unit is mainly to instigate farmers and defame them. We urge the farmers to see through this devious plan of the BJP so that this dirty tactic, under the guise of the national flag, does not succeed," an SKM statement read. The SKM, however, clarified that boycott of politicians from the ruling BJP-Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) combine will continue as usual.

Leaders of the BJP and JJP in Haryana, and those of the BJP in the neighbouring state of Punjab, have faced intense protests in their respective states from farmers agitating against the contentious laws. Majority of farmers opposing these are from the two northern states.

The Haryana BJP launched its two-week-long "Tiranga Yatra" on Sunday. The initiative, which began from Bhivani, will conclude on August 15 when the country celebrates 74 years of independence. State party chief OP Dhankar, who rode a tractor along with agriculture minister JP Dalal to mark the occasion, claimed "thousands of farmers" joined the event.

Since November last year, farmers, under the banner of SKM, have been protesting on Delhi's borders against what they allege are "black laws." 11 rounds of talks, the last of which took place on January 22, have taken place between the Union government and farmers' unions but have failed to resolve the impasse. Farmers want the reforms to be withdrawn but the Centre has repeatedly stressed it is ready for any other solution, except a complete rollback. The Supreme Court, on January 12, ordered a stay on the implementation of the laws till further orders.

On January 26, a tractor rally taken out by farmers in Delhi resulted in street clashes between them and the police.

(With PTI inputs)