Won’t let restrictions stall march: Farmers

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 24

Undeterred by the actions of both BJP-led Centre and Haryana Government to stop them from reaching Delhi for their protest on November 26-27, over three lakh farmers from Punjab, including 30,000 women, are preparing for a long-drawn dharna on the borders of the national capital, or in Haryana, wherever they are stopped.

While the Delhi Government has reportedly sealed its borders, Haryana, too, has started stopping farmers and trucks carrying supplies for farmers for their protest at its borders with Punjab. Farmers are to begin their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march tomorrow, though the food and other supplies are being dispatched towards Delhi since last night. At least 40 tractor-trailers carrying ration supplies for the protesters were stopped at the Khanauri border in the wee hours of today, and not allowed to go to Delhi. Interestingly, the gurdwaras in neighboring Dhamkaan are providing them food and other necessities.

With Haryana also deploying a posse of police personnel at its borders and imposing strict travel restrictions for vehicles moving towards Delhi, the farmers’ strategy now will be to start indefinite peaceful protests wherever they are stopped. There are 10 main roads from Punjab to Delhi that pass from Haryana. The Haryana Government has put road blocks in Panchkula, Ambala, Kaithal, Jind, Fatehabad and Sirsa. The national highways in Ambala, Hisar, Rewari and Palwal leading to Delhi and six border posts in Haryana, too, have been sealed.

For almost a week now, farmer unions have been mobilising their cadres for the Delhi protest by organising torch marches and ‘jago’ in almost all villages. Harinder Kaur Bindu, state president of the women wing of the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) said other than contributing ration and beddings, an average of Rs 2 lakh cash donation had been made by farmers from each village of Malwa. “Farmers, their children and spouses, know that this is a battle for their survival. So they are giving their all,” she said.

Interestingly, the Government of India has invited farm unions for a fresh round of talks on December 3. The offer has met with sharp reactions from farmer unions. “Why does the Centre indulge in doublespeak? On the one hand, it is going all out to stop a peaceful dharna, including arresting the 31 farm union leaders in Haryana, and on the other, it is extending an invitation for talks. The negotiations would be beneficial only if they accede to our demand of repealing the farm laws and ordinance imposing hefty fines for stubble burning and not introducing the new Electricity Act,” said Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan).

“At least a minimum common programme should first be decided. Otherwise, we know that it is just a diversionary tactic to stop the protests,” he added. Darshan Pal of the Krantikari Kisan Union said wherever they are stopped, they would start an indefinite dharna.

Rajinder Singh Deepsinghwala of the Kirti Kisan Union and Harmeet Singh Qadian of the BKU (Qadian) said they were mobilising farmers from the southern districts of the Malwa region to march to Delhi on Wednesday. They said in case they were stopped from entering Haryana, they would make the farmers stay at Takht Damdama Sahib for the night, and then again start on foot on the morning of November 26.

All sections should join stir: Chandumajra

Former MP and SAD leader Prem Singh Chandumajra on Tuesday called upon all sections of society to join the farmers’ march to Delhi on November 26 and 27 to press for the withdrawal of the farm laws and making the Minimum Support Price a fundamental right of farmers. He said the issue was not just of growers as consumers would be equally affected by the laws

BJP creating anarchy in state: Khaira

Five AAP rebel MLAs on Tuesday made a fervent appeal to all political parties of Punjab to join the farmers’ protest in Delhi. Addressing the media, MLAs Sukhpal Khaira, Jagtar Singh Hissowal and others urged all sections to support the cause of farmers. Khaira said the farmers’ agitation had been totally peaceful but the adamant attitude of the BJP government was virtually pushing Punjab towards anarchy

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