Farmers make Ladhowal toll plaza free for two days

Tribune News Service

Manav Mander

Ludhiana, February 17

Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) today made the Ladhowal toll plaza free for commuters. The union has extended their support to the ongoing struggle by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) at Shambhu and Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border.

Women from nearby villages serve food

Women from nearby villages also came to the protest site at the Ladhowal toll plaza and served milk and tea to the protesting farmers. “We are together and supporting the protest initiated by farmers. We brought milk from our homes and served it to them. We all are together in the agitation,” said a woman from Hussainpura village.

The toll plaza will be free today and on Sunday as well. After extending support, the union has cancelled its plan to protest in Chandigarh from February 26 against the state government for not announcing the agriculture policy.

Charan Singh Noorpura, president of the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) said the Union Government accepted the demands of the farmers earlier but it failed to implement them and now, when they were protesting against the same, they were being mistreated.

“One farmer lost his life at the Shambhu border yesterday and we won’t let his life go in vain. We are demanding our right and won’t return from Delhi till our demands are accepted and implemented,” said Noorpura.

Saudagar Singh, Ghudani, general secretary of the union said their February 26 agitation had been cancelled and now, they would fight together with other farm unions who would protest in Delhi. “Farmers are also citizens of the country and have the right to protest but they were stopped from entering Delhi as if they are terrorists. India is a democratic country and such treatment should not have been given to them who are growing food for the country. We are siting here in protest against the treatment given to the farmers by the Central Government,” he said.

Women from nearby villages also came to the protest site at Ladhowal toll plaza and served milk and tea to the protesting farmers.

“We are together and supporting the protest initiated by farmers. We brought milk from our homes and served it to the protesting farmers. We all are together in the agitation,” said Kulwinder Kaur from Hussainpura village.

Meanwhile, the commuters were happy that they were allowed to pass without paying the toll fee.

“Farmers are protesting for their rights and the country is with them. I was going to Phillaur which is only 7 km from the toll barrier. I was happy that I did not pay toll charges today,” said a commuter.

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