Priest dies by suicide at Singhu border
Baba Ram Singh, a Sikh priest from Haryana, has died after he shot himself on Wednesday. The 65-year-old wrote a letter that read: “Farmers are in pain, they are protesting on the roads for their rights. The government is not giving them justice, which is cruel. It is a sin to endure persecution and also a sin to oppress. Some have stood for the farmer rights and against the cruelty. People have returned their awards to show protest. I am sacrificing myself.”
SC to resume hearing
The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear a batch of pleas seeking a direction to the authorities to immediately remove the farmers who are protesting at several border points of Delhi against three new farm laws. The apex court said the government’s negotiations with the protesting farmers have “not worked apparently” and it will form a committee having representatives of both the sides to resolve the deadlock.
Incubation of ‘tent city’
Amid the on-going sir, a “tent city” has been incubated for protesting farmers at Singhu border as they battle harsh winters. The city has been set up at a petrol pump and has around 140 tents where over 400 plus farmers are residing. It provides all the facilities free of cost, which includes mattress, quilt, blanket, bedsheets, towels, toothpaste, toothbrush and oil. Mobile charging ports with extensions, toilets and bathing facilities are also available for the protesting farmers. Tent city’s managing team members Jatin Singh and Baghel Singh said the initiative has been taken up by Hemkunt Foundation and the petrol pump owner has given permission to use his premises.
Narendra Singh Tomar’s stance
Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar is leading the government side in the negotiations. He said the on-going agitation at Delhi’s borders is limited to one state and farmers of Punjab are being “misled” by the Opposition. He, however, expressed hope that there will be a solution “soon” to the growing agitation.
Rahul’s jibe at Modi
Reacting to the Sikh priest’s death, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi slammed the centre for not accepting the protesting farmers’ demand of repealing the three contentious agriculture laws.
He tweeted in Hindi: “Sant Baba Ram Singh from Karnal died by suicide over the farmers’ condition, at Kundli border. My condolences in this moment of grief… many farmers have sacrificed their lives. The Modi government has crossed all the limits of cruelty. Stop being so adamant, take back the anti-farmer laws.”
Kangana takes a dig at Diljit and Priyanka
Actor Kangana Ranaut attacked Diljit Dosanjh and Priyanka Chopra yet again for expressing solidarity with the farmers. She claimed the protest resulted in a cumulative loss of Rs 70,000cr and reminded them of the “serious consequences” of their support to the farmers.
She tweeted: “Cost of farmers protests so far 70,000 crores, because of dharna economic slowdown in neighbouring industries and small factories, might lead to riots, @diljitdosanjh and @priyankachopra you understand our actions have serious consequences please tell me who will pay for this?”
