Protest coordinators said that farmer union leaders will meet on Tuesday to decide how to respond to and whether to accept the central government’s invitation for a new round of talks. A relay hunger strike commenced at the Singhu border protest site Monday, with 11 farmer union leaders beginning a 24-hour fast from 9 am.
The relay hunger strike had been announced Sunday with the aim of mounting added pressure on the Centre to repeal the three contested farm laws. The hunger strike will be undertaken by 11 people at a time for a 24-hour period each before another group of 11 people takes over.
Among those who began the strike Monday were Jagjit Singh Dallewa, president Bharatiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur); Satnam Singh, president, Democratic Kisan Sabha; Avtar Singh, press secretary, Krantikari Kisan Union; and Mukesh Chander, vice-president, Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee.
Protest coordinators said that farmer union leaders will meet on Tuesday to decide how to respond to and whether to accept the central government’s invitation for a new round of talks.
On Sunday, Vivek Aggarwal, joint secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, had written to Krantikari Kisan Union president Darshan Pal — in a letter copied to 39 other farm leaders — inviting them for a new round of talks at a date of their choosing.
