Kamal Haasan's MNM reaches farmer protest at Delhi border; says it's a pan-India movement

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan's political party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) has extended support to the farmers protesting against the Centre's three agriculture laws and joined the demonstrations at the Singhu border on Sunday. 

Speaking to ANI, the MNM leaders expressed solidarity with the farmers of Haryana and Punjab and sought withdrawal of the new farm bills. Following the other Oppositions parties, Kamal Haasan's party also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have a dialogue with the farmers. 

"We have a team of farmer wing secretaries from all of Tamil Nadu. We are here standing in solidarity with farmers of Haryana and Punjab. We are here to show support from the party as well as farmers of Tamil Nadu. We also want the bills to be removed," the party said.

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"The farmers are not liking it and the government has to have a dialogue. Our prime minister has to come down and have a dialogue with the farmers and take back 3 farm laws," MNM women and children welfare Tamil Nadu secretary Mugambika Ratnam said.

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'Farmers's protest is a pan-India movement': Kamal Haasan

Deputy state secretary farmer wing Parthsarthy said the only solution to farmers' grievances is to repeal the three laws Parthsarthy said and quoted a message from the MNM chief. 

"Kamal Hassan said this is not just agitation of Punjab and Haryana and it is a pan-India movement. Go there and support the farmers and show that it is our problem and the government should also listen," Parthsarthy said. 

The 10-member team was led by the MNM Farmers' Wing state secretary Mayilsamy, who warned the government that more farmers would join the protest if their demands were not met.

"If the new farm laws are not removed, a lot more farmers are willing to join the protest. Farmers fed the gods and they are struggling. It hurts to see farmers struggling in this rough weather. Law has to be removed. If not then there are lot more people willing to join the protest from southern India," Mayilsamy said in Tamil.

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Farmers declare 'Bharat Bandh' on December 8; Opposition chimes in

Continuing their protests against the agricultural laws, the Farmer Unions have declared a 'Bharat Bandh' on December 8. Asserting that they are not satisfied with the amendments proposed by the Centre, the Farmer Unions stated that several other parties have also extended their solidarity with them. These parties include -  Rashtriya Janata Dal, Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Revolutionary Socialist Party and All India Forward Bloc. The Congress has also backed the Bharat Bandh.

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The fifth round of talks between the government and farmer leaders were held with the representatives of 40 farmer unions at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi on Saturday. The next round of talks is scheduled for December 9.

The farmers are protesting against The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.