new delhi: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of agitating farmer unions, Friday demanded that the government start vaccination centres and provide related facilities at the protests sites.
This is for the first time that the union has made such a demand. It even asked farmers protesting at the various border points of Delhi to wear masks and follow necessary COVID-19 guidelines to stem the spread of the virus.
Interestingly, its leaders in the vulnerable age group had earlier said that they are not "afraid of COVID" and "won't take jabs". However, they had said that they would not stop any farmer camping at the borders from getting vaccinated as it was an individual choice.
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at three Delhi border points — Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur — for over four months, demanding a repeal of the three agri reform laws enacted by the Centre last September.
"We appeal to the farmers to follow the necessary norms and guidelines like wearing masks and doing their bit to stop the spread of the virus. At the same time, we also request the government to fulfil its responsibility by starting vaccination centres and providing necessary facilities at protest places," an SKM statement said.
The demand comes on a day when India added a record 2,17,353 new coronavirus infections taking the tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,42,91,917, while active cases surpassed the 15-lakh mark, according to the Union health ministry's updated data.