CM Kejriwal to join day-long hunger strike to support farmers

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that he would be joining the farmers' call for a day-long hunger strike Monday in protest against the three farm laws that the Centre had brought in, prompting widespread protests across the country.

At a digital press conference, the CM urged all Aam Aadmi Party volunteers and supporters to do the same.

CM Kejriwal said that Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Centre was underestimating the farmers' movement by calling it a "small movement comprising only a few people". He appealed to the Centre to set its ego aside and listen to what the farmers were asking for.

"The three farm laws should be immediately repealed and the farmers should be given guaranteed MSPs, and a new bill should be passed on it. All the demands of the farmers should be accepted without any condition as soon as possible," added the CM.

He slammed the BJP for calling farmers anti-nationals and said that several ex-servicemen, sportspersons, doctors, lawyers, traders have been supporting the protests in some way or other and questioned if they were all anti-national?

In addition, Minister Gopal Rai said that all AAP leaders and volunteers across the country will be joining the hunger strike in solidarity with the protesting farmers.

"The leaders and volunteers of the Aam Aadmi Party across India will hold a hunger strike without wearing party caps or carrying party flags. Tomorrow at 10 AM at the headquarters of the Aam Aadmi Party leaders, MLAs, councillors and volunteers will hold a hunger strike till evening 5 PM," he said.

The AAP leader pointed out that in the last 18 days the farmers who have been protesting around 11 of them have died during the protest.