Hero's welcome at Bastara toll plaza

Parveen Arora

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Tribune News Service

Karnal, December 11

Farmers on their way back home were accorded a hero’s welcome at the Bastara toll plaza here on Saturday. Flowers were showered upon their arrival, sweets distributed and firecrackers were burst. Folk singers too cheered the farmers with ‘ragnis’.

Chaos at NH-44

A massive traffic chaos was witnessed on the NH-44 due to the farmers’ victory procession on Saturday. The police had made arrangements to ensure the smooth flow of traffic but the large number of vehicles led to a huge jam, troubling commuters. SHOs concerned and traffic cops were deployed on the NH-44.

To make it memorable and on the SKM call, local farmers observed it as a victory day. A blood donation camp was also organised on the occasion. As many as 102 farmers donated blood.

“We organised the blood donation camp to show unity and to pay tributes to the farmers who died during the agitation,” said Bhadhur Singh Mehla, district president, IT Cell, BKU (Charuni).

“I have donated blood as a mark of respect to the deceased farmers,” said Navin, a farmer.

Meanwhile, the farmers danced to music and later, langar was served to them at the toll plaza. “We completely support the SKM decision. The Centre should act timely on the MSP issue now. The SKM will review the steps to be taken by the Centre in January, otherwise the agitation may be resumed again,” said Nirmaljeet Singh Virk, another farmer.

Paramjeet, a farmer from Shambli in Uttar Pradesh, said it was a victory of the farmers, but it took a long time. “The decision should have been taken earlier, so that the lives of over 700 farmers could have been saved.”

Former MLA from Gharaund Narinder Sangwan, who has been participating in the agitation since the beginning, said it was a victory of farmers’ unity, otherwise the government had made several efforts to divide them. “We are here to welcome the farmers who have contributed a lot to this agitation,” he added.

Hugging the farmers coming from borders, locals referred them as the real icons of the society. Meanwhile, Punjab farmers expressed their gratitude towards

the people of Haryana for extending support to them during the agitation.