Olympian Vinesh Phogat joins farmers' protest as MSP demand hits 200 days

'The country won't progress if people sit on the streets like this,' said Olympian Vinesh Phogat

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat stood in solidarity with protesting farmers at the Shambhu border on Saturday, August 31, as their demand for a legal guarantee of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) reached a significant milestone -- 200 days of continuous protest. 

The demonstration, which began on February 13 after authorities blocked the farmers' march to Delhi, has also spread to other critical points at the Khanauri and Ratanpura borders.

Vinesh Phogat voices support for farmers
 

Farmers are demanding a legal guarantee for MSP across all crops, alongside other pressing agricultural issues. The protest has seen support from various quarters, including Phogat, who has been a vocal advocate for the farmers' cause. She was also honoured by the farmers during the day's events.

 

Speaking at the event, Phogat expressed her anguish over the ongoing protests.

"It is painful to see this. All of them are citizens of this country. Farmers run the country. Nothing is possible without them, not even athletes—if they don't feed us, we won't be able to compete. Many times, we are helpless and can't do anything. We represent the country at such big levels but can't support our own family when we see them sad. I urge the government to listen and fulfill the promises they made. The country won't progress if people sit on the streets like this," she said.

 

200 days on: Farmers' frustration grows

As the farmers' protest enters its 200th day, frustration with the government's lack of response has intensified. Amritsar district farmer leader Baldev Singh Bagga revealed that repeated attempts to engage with the government have been met with silence. 

"Farmer organisations have repeatedly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but have received no responses. As Modi enters his 11th year in office, rather than addressing our demands, the government continues to suppress the voice of farmers," Bagga told The Times of India.

Kisan Mazdoor Morcha convenor Sarvan Singh Pandher has called on farmers to gather in large numbers at the Shambu and Khanauri borders on August 31, where new announcements are expected to be made. "We will once again present our demands to the government," Pandher said, as reported by India Today.