Farmer from Baghpat dies at Ghazipur border protest site

Jan 1, 2021
New Delhi: Amid freezing temperatures in Delhi and adjoining areas, a farmer from Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh died near Ghazipur border on Friday while protesting against new agricultural laws enacted by the central government.

The farmer, Galtan Singh (57) was a resident of Bhagwanpur Nagal village in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh, said Saurav, an associate of Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, who is leading the farmers from Uttar Pradesh demonstrating at the Ghazipur Border.

Saurav told IANS: “Galtan Singh was in good health and fit and but he suddenly felt uneasy with complaint of chest pains and was taken to the hospital but he died on the way. The body has been sent to his village.”

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader from Uttar Pradesh Sachin Chaudhary, who has been protesting against the three farm laws at Ghazipur border, said, “Sacrifice of Galtan Singh will not go in vain.”

Several farmers have died during the protest to severe cold weather, he added.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) General Secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal said, “The farmers have been protesting at the bordering areas of the national Capital since November 26, 2020 and the death toll of farmers has reached to 43 since then.”

The government should listen to those who are ready to sacrifice their lives and repeal the agricultural laws which are anti-farmers, he added.

The farmers protesting under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha have been demanding the withdrawal of the three laws and legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) which is declared every year by the Centre for 23 crops while the government has assured them that it will accept their two more demands related to stubble burning and electricity subsidies.

Farmers’ protest is going on at Singhu border, Tikri border and Ghazipur border amid severe cold condition in Delhi and NCR as the mercury plummeted to 1.1 degree Celsius on the New Year’s day on Friday.IANS