Farmers Movement Archive

When Delhiites showered petals on farmers during R-Day march

Box: Youngsters offer ride on bikesSome youngsters brought their scooters and bikes to transport farmers who wanted to return to the base camp at Singhu as it started growing dark and tractors were still stranded in the jam. Manmeet Singh GillTribune News ServiceAmritsar, January 27Most social media platforms and television channels are just focusing on acts of violence indulged in by a section of protesters during the tractor parade on January 26, but on the other hand, the unmatched bonhomie shown by Delhi residents and restraint exhibited by a large section of protesters are not being telecast by them. Marching from Singhu as an unending cavalcade of tractors crossed Kundli, thousands of residents of Delhi were standing alongside the roads to cheer farmers. While some showered flower petals, others offered water and bread. Many more raised slogans in support of the farmers and waved at them as they crossed.People, including small children and elderly people, were seen standing on roadsides. Most of the farmers, especially elderly people, stood on their trolleys with folded hands to express their gratitude for the love showered on them by residents of Delhi.In a rare show of solidarity, Muslim and Hindu teenagers were seen distributing water from the same stall. “As we watched the first tractor pass by, one among us said that at least we can offer water to farmers. We pooled money and brought water pouches as they are not as costly as mineral water bottles,” said a teenager while he was throwing water pouches towards trolleys.Some families and young children, carrying water buckets in one hand and steel glasses in the other, were seen standing alongside the road. By the time, the farmers had walked 15 km on foot and travelled another 10 km on tractors, it was noon and tractors were struck in a traffic jam stretching up to several kilometres, some youngsters distributed breads.Some youngsters brought their scooters and bikes to transport farmers who wanted to return to the base camp at Singhu as it started growing dark and tractors were still stranded in the jam. Back at Singhu, thousands of tractors were still waiting for the jam to clear so that they could take the route to participate in the parade.While farmer leaders called off the parade at 6pm, a long queue of tractor trolleys till Sonipat was still waiting for the jam to clear. As the reports of violence dampened the general mood at the camp, an elderly person said, “If our youngsters had shown a little more restraint, the entire world would have been in awe of us. Now most television channels would show violence only and all good that happened here would remain a mystery.”

The Tribune

2021-01-28

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