New Delhi: Veteran social activist and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare will flag off a protest march from Haryana against the Centre’s ordinance on Land Acquisition Bill on Friday.
The march, which will see the participation of around 12000-15000 farmers, will be led by P V Rajagopal.
Hazare will also participate in a two-day agitation at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on February 23 and 24 to demand withdrawal of the anti-farmer amendments to the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
The veteran Gandhian activist had earlier warned that an indefinite agitation would be launched at Ramlila Maidan if the Union government fails to retract the concerned ordinance.
In a statement issued from his native village Ralegan Siddhi, Hazare said a mass movement will be launched against the amendments.
“On February 23, over 20,000 farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra will assemble at Jantar Mantar for a token dharna. A march from Haryana led by Rajagopal will reach Delhi the next day. Activists like Medha Patkar, Govindacharya, Rajendra Singh and representatives of about 80 organisations will join the dharna thereafter,” Hazare had said in the statement.
It will be a symbolic movement which would urge the Union government to withdraw the amendments to the land acquisition act, he added.
Hazare said the activists will wait for some time to see how the government reacts. “If the government does not take the right steps, an indefinite agitation will be launched at Ramlila Maidan,” he said.
The Gandhian said the condition of farmers is already bad. “The anti-farmer amendments could lead to a massive conflict between the farmers and the government,” he said in his letter.