Farmers Movement Archive

Protesting farmers refuse to undergo Covid test

Tribune News ServiceJhajjar/Sonepat, December 4Farmer leaders have categorically rejected a proposal of the district administration to conduct the Covid test of all those protesting at the Tikri-Bahadurgarh border for a week against the three farm laws.Their stance is: “Covid is not an ailment and we are not scared of it”.“Bahadurgarh SDM Hitendra Sharma has been informed of our decision. All we ask from him is to deploy teams of doctors at the dharna spot. It is necessary because the Bahadurgarh Civil Hospital is far from the protest site,” said Buta Singh, a farmer leader.Sources say the administration has built five medical booths at the dharna spot. A majority of farmers visiting the booths are suffering from fever, cough, cold and body pain. It is because of this reason that the administration had planned to conduct the Covid test of all protesters, they say.The Bahadurgarh SDM told The Tribune, “We held a meeting with farmers’ leaders and tried to convince them to undergo the Covid test, but they refused. Hence, we have decided to conduct the test of only those who will visit the medical booth complaining of fever and cough.”Meanwhile, the farmers’ agitation at the border entered the seventh day on Friday. The Delhi Police sealed the Bahadurgarh-Nijampur and Bahadurgarh-Jharoda borders, leaving commuters high and dry. They had to use alternative routes to reach their destinations in Delhi.Jhajjar DC Jitender Kumar said 19 Duty Magistrates and 20 nodal officers had been deputed at the dharna spot to maintain law and order.At a press conference held at the Singhu border in the evening, representatives of the All-India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) announced that they would step up the agitation.One of the farmers’ leaders, Harvinder Singh Lakhwal, said the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and those of corporates would be burnt on Saturday across the country. On December 7, retired Army personnel and award winners will return their awards in solidarity with the protesting farmers.

The Tribune

2020-12-05