Anna’s second coming: ‘This govt like the Raj’

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The protest will begin with a foot march by farmers, led by Delhi-based Rajgopal P V of Ekta Parishad, from Palval in Haryana on February 20 to Delhi on February 24. The Jantar Mantar dharna begins February 23, with Anna to be joined by Medha Patkar, former RSS ideologue Govindacharya, Dr Subbarao, Rajendra Singh, Akhil Gogoi, Amarnath, Dr Sunilam and Vishwambar Choudary. The organisers expect 15,000 to 20,000 farmers from Punjab, Harayna, Rajasthan, UP and Maharashtra to participate. Anna has also warned of an indefinite agitation in “a couple of months” if the government does not respond.

“After our protest at Jantar Mantar, we will wait for some time, and see how government responds. If they don’t take steps to ensure farmers’ rights are protected, we will launch another agitation — indefinite and nationwide — to force the government not to amend the act,” he tells The Indian Express.

“In the last three months, dozens of delegations of farmers and peasants have met me. If the Act is amended, it may lead to more and more suicides. It will also force farmers into violent protests as in Singur and Mann,” he adds. “I am sure it will bring achche din only to the rich. When the government is doing injustice to farmers with such an ordinance, then what’s the difference between this government and the British Raj?”

He went on: “It was expected that the new government would be pro-farmer. This ordinance adequately makes it clear that this government is anti-farmer; it wants to promote crony capitalism.”