Farmers Movement Archive

After fighting for nation, ex-servicemen now join farmers’ fight

Times News NetworkLudhiana: Having fought different wars for the country, the ex-servicemen have now taken up cudgels for the farmers protesting against the central agriculture laws. A number of ex-servicemen from Ludhiana on Monday joined their counterparts from various other districts and moved together towards Singhu border, one of the prominent farmer protest sites.The ex-servicemen from the north of Sutlej carrying a flame of solidarity for the farming community stopped briefly at Gurdwara Reru Sahib near Sahnewal, where those from Ludhiana joined the march.Giving details, Brigadier S S Gill (retd) of Ludhiana, who had fought the 1971 war against Pakistan, said about 40-50 ex-servicemen from the north of Sutlej, including from Jalandhar, Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur districts, among others, carrying the flame of solidarity passed through Ludhiana on away to Singhu border.“As the main group proceeded towards Singhu, the ex-servicemen from the areas falling on the way kept joining them. The march reached Gurdwara Reru Sahib near Sahnewal at 11.45am and stopped here for about an hour. Later, about 50 ex-servicemen from different parts of Ludhiana joined the march in their own vehicles. The march was led by a Major General (retired),” said Brig Gill. He said the ex-servicemen believe that these laws are not in the interest of farmers and therefore, should be repealed. Besides, the Prime Minister should know that the farmers are an informed lot and know that these laws are not good for them, he added.“The Prime Minister has not seen farming, as he is from trader background, so he wants big traders (businessmen) to benefit. But, the farmers understand the intricacies of farming and selling their produce well, so they know that these laws will impact them adversely. As people from the farming background, we are with the farmers,” said 69-year-old Brig Inder Mohan Singh (retd), who resides near Ferozepur Road and has served the Army for around 36 years and also took part in the 1971 war. The ex-servicemen said since most of the Army men are from the farming background, they empathise with the cause of farmers. “We believe that laws shouldn’t have been brought without proper discussion with all the stakeholders. The farmer leaders are educated and the agriculture minister has failed to satisfy the queries raised by them with regard to the benefits these laws will fetch to the farmers. The least the government can do is to repeal these laws,” said 69-year-old Colonel Jagdish Singh Gill (retd) of New Lajpat Nagar, who served in the Army for nearly 37 years.

The Times of India

2020-12-29

Ludhiana