After Tikait's outburst, support swells for stir

Busting fake news

“Some of us have been deputed to dispel fake news about the agitation. Any attempt to disrupt our honest stir will fail. The agitation stays put at Delhi borders. We are going village to village to speak to farmers about the real situation and will head back to Delhi borders on February 1.” — Kulwinder Singh Machiana, gen secy, bku (rajewal), jalandhar

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 29

An emotional exhortation of Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait has given a renewed push to the stir, with scores of farmers from Punjab heading to the Ghazipur and Singhu borders after having returned home from the Delhi tractor parade. Leaders say fake news and Tikait’s profound outburst have made farmers head back to protests sites around Delhi in large numbers.

Amarjot Singh, youth wing president (Jalandhar), BKU (Rajewal), and Kulwinder Singh Machiana, its general secretary, were at Singhu a few days ago. After holding meetings with farmers today and dispelling rumours, they plan to go back soon. A ‘jatha’ of youths from Thatha Purana village in Sultanpur Lodhi headed out to Singhu yesterday amid reports of police build-up at Ghazipur.

“Youths from Sarhali, Jandiala, Nakodar and other blocks are preparing to return to protest sites. Some have already started going back, others will go in a couple of days. The attempt to oust Rakesh Tikait from the stage has angered farmers. We have come home just to drop our trolleys and tend to our fields,” said Amarjot.

Machiana, who was holding the stage of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha a few days ago, said, “Some of us have been deputed to dispel fake news about the agitation. Any attempt to disrupt our honest stir will fail. Our agitation stays put at Delhi borders. We are going village to village to speak to farmers about the real situation and will head back to Delhi borders on February 1. A huge number of farmers from Punjab plan to flood the movement again. All those who came back will return.”

From Thatta Purana in Sultanpur Lodhi, an 11-member ‘jatha’ headed to Singhu on Thursday. Surinderjit Singh, a village resident, said, “In view of the rumours being spread about the tractor parade, it is important we head back to Singhu.”

Dr Baljit Singh, national president of the Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Party floated by farmers youths, said, “Over 15 to 20 trolleys are leaving for Delhi borders from Patiala tonight. Everyone is keen to return to the protest site. There is anger among people for the way farmers have been blamed for the Red Fort incident. Everyone wants to head back and lend support to the movement.”