Farmers Movement Archive

Tractors make track for Delhi, city takes out solidarity rally

Ludhiana: To join forces with farmers’ rally in Delhi on Republic Day, a large number of tractors from Ludhiana district and surrounding areas continued their journey towards the Capital. While in the city, civil society and farmers held a tractor rally in support of the agitation on Sunday. Rajinder Benipal, president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Punjab, who started his journey from Khanna to Delhi with a cavalcade, said 2,000 tractors from Khanna and about 900 from Amloh in Fatehgarh Sahib left from GT Road near Khanna towards Delhi on Sunday morning to participate in the rally. “Till now, 1.5 lakh tractors from Punjab have left for Delhi. Such a peaceful agitation is unprecedented in the history of the country and we will bring down this government for its farming laws. We want the government to repeal the three laws,” he said. Tractors from many villages of Jagraon also left for Delhi. “Around 15 tractors from our village have already left for Delhi and now one bus with villagers will leave in the evening and the second will leave on Monday morning. From our village, more than 300 farmers have left for the Capital,” said Chamkaur Singh from Chakar village. He added that the government would have to repeal anti-farming laws. The farm leaders said a large number of tractors from Majha and Doaba regions of the state were crossing Machhiwara, Samrala and Khanna areas. “Around 1,000 tractors from Samrala have left and some will leave on Monday. Apart from that, a big number of tractors from Majha and Doaba regions are also crossing Samrala. We expect that the number of tractors participating in the Republic Day rally will cross the two-lakh mark. It will be perhaps a world record for any agitation,” said Sanjok Singh, Samrala president of Lok Chetna Lehar, a social organisation that was part of farmers’ mobilization programme for the Republic Day rally. Meanwhile, civil society and farmers held a rally in Ludhiana in support of the agitation. Besides tractors and jeeps, the rally also saw participation of Harley-Davidson club members. It covered a distance of more than 20km. It started from South City and after crossing Ladowal bypass returned to the starting point.Davinder Singh Nagi, one of the organizers, said more than 50 tractors and 200 vehicles, including high-end cars and motorcycles, were part of the rally and participants included the family of Harjinder Singh of Jangpur who had died during the agitation. “There were five to six tractors driven by women and one had a painting depicting the farmers’ agitation. Another tractor had a music system fitted. Highway workers had set up water, juice and cold drinks’ stalls for them. Punjab police supported us and managed traffic. We had chosen a stretch that avoided harassment to commuters,” he said.March for ‘martyrs’Members of civil society and farmers also took out a “Kisan Shaheed March” in memory of those who have lost their lives during the agitation. The march was held from Flower Enclave to Phullawan Chowk.

The Times of India

2021-01-25

Ludhiana