Anna Hazare warns govt of hunger strike if farmers’ issues not resolved

Dec. 15: Renowned social activist Anna Hazare, who has repeatedly expressed his solidarity with the farmers protesting the new farm laws, said on Monday that he will start a hunger strike if farmers’ issues are not resolved by the Union government. In a letter to the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar Anna Hazare has warned the Centre of resuming his hunger strike if his demands regarding the agrarian laws are not implemented.

Earlier, on 8 December, Anna Hazare (83) joined farmers`agitation by holding a day-long token hunger strike at his native village Ralegan-Siddhi in Ahmednagar, Gujarat. Hazare also expressed the need to grant autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and to implement the recommendations of the M S Swaminathan Commission. Anna Hazare said this was the “right time” for farmers to come out on the streets and get their issues resolved, adding “I had backed this cause earlier also, and will continue to do so.”