For R-Day, all roads lead to Delhi

Tractors outnumber other vehicles heading to national capital

‘Will stay there’

“After the parade, all are prepared to protest at New Delhi for months. We do not have any other option as the central government is unwilling to repeal the black laws,”

Balwant Singh, a farmer

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, January 24

As Republic Day inches closer, the number of tractor-trailers has been increasing on roads across the state as majority want to reach New Delhi to participate in the farmers’ tractor parade.

Amid various Punjabi songs like “Waaris Nalue Da”,” Fateh”, “Pecha Pai Gaya Centre Naal” and others being played on tractors with big speakers, villages have been resonating with “Delhi Chalo”.

“I have seen many agitations, but its first time that we are witnessing such a massive support. From our villages, majority of farmers are heading to New Delhi to participate in the tractor march,” said Balwinder Singh, a farmer from Maura village while serving tea at a langar near their village.

Despite being aware of the free supply of all essential commodities at Delhi borders to protesters, farmers are taking their ration, wood, LPG cylinders and several other items as many have plans to stay at borders after the tractor parade.

“All are prepared to protest at New Delhi for months. We do not have any other option as the central government is still unwilling to repeal the black laws months after the agitation started,” said Balwant Singh from Mehla Chownk.

Earlier tractors and other vehicles going to New Delhi, had flags like “Kisan Ekta Jindabad”, “No Farmer, No Food”, “End of MSP, will kill farming” and others, but these days they have also started putting up the Tricolor along with other flags.

“Thousands of tractors have already reached the borders of New Delhi while remaining are reaching there. All are determined to protest peacefully, but we are also cautious as the central government may try to create problems during our parade,” said Rajpal Singh, a BKU (Ugrahan) leader from Mangwal village.