Farmers Movement Archive

Singhu border: Dholakwalas & street vendors do brisk business

NEW DELHI: Among the unintended beneficiaries of the protest at Singhu border are percussion instrument sellers from Bawana and Almora. Not only have their sales gone up, but the presence of langars makes sure they do not go to sleep on an empty stomach. And for many of the sellers, the new point of sale has been a confidence builder after the fallow months of the pandemic-hit business year. Mahtab Ali, 22, who lives in the JJ cluster at Bawana, said his business had dried up in the past months, but the Singhu border protest has turned his fortunes around. Dholaks and dhaplis are used to rouse the sloganeering crowd. “I now sell 10-15 dholaks every day. And everyone is gracious with food too,” Ali said. “All these instruments are made in Almora in Uttarakhand. We buy them at wholesale rates and sell them in the city.” Raju Kumar, 19, said that most customers are young people who use them while singing and shouting slogans. Mohammad Lal, 50, added, “Each drum costs around Rs 150, but we have been selling them at lower prices here,” he said. “Sales are good and people keep offering me fruits, peanuts and food items.” Lal said that he doesn’t know anything about the farm laws, but it is the duty of the government to listen to its people. With thousands of farmers camping at the border, numerous street vendors from neighbouring localities have flocked to Singhu. The protest town has also led to a boom in the business for the small shops along the highway. Over 30 farmer unions continue to be at loggerheads with the central government over their demand for the repeal of the new farm laws. The next round of talks is expected on December 29.

The Times of India

2020-12-27

Delhi