Amid lockdown, Farmers to observe May 26 as 'black day'

New Delhi, May 23: Amid lockdown, protesting farmers protesting are set to observe observe May 26 as 'black day', marking six months of their protest at Delhi's borders against the Centre's three farm laws. Reports have also emerged of many from Sangrur, Punjab, leaving for the national capital.

Led by Bharat Kisan Union (BKU) leader Gurnam Singh Charuni, the famers set off from the Bastada toll plaza, heading in hundreds of vehicles for the Singhu border point near Delhi.

A large number of farmers reached Delhi's borders on November 26 after facing water cannons and police barriers as part of their "Delhi Chalo" march against the Centre's farm laws.

Thousands of farmers from across the country joined the protest in the following months at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders around the national capital.

Hundreds of farmers have been camping at Delhi's borders since November 2020 demanding that the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back, and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.

However, the government, which has held multiple rounds of formal dialogue with the protestors, has maintained that the laws are pro-farmer.