Farmers Movement Archive

‘We condemn Red Fort incident, but will continue our struggle’

Ludhiana: A day after violence was witnessed during the tractor rally in Delhi, many farmers from the district at the dharna site condemned unfurling of a religious flag at the Red Fort, but said they would continue with the struggle till their demands were met. “We don’t approve of what happened at the Red Fort, and the farmers tell us they didn’t have any plan to go there. Those behind it had links with the government. We believe there will be some sort of disturbance for a day or two after which things will normalise. Those who have been sitting there for long will not return till the anti-farming laws are repealed,” said Sukhjeet Singh from Chakar village who is at Tikri border along with many fellow villagers. Some said whatever happened was wrong, but at the same time it exposed the “traitors”. “It is good that the wrong people have been exposed. We condemn the incident and hope that the agitation will grow stronger. We believe that it was planned by the government. Our resolve has become stronger,” said 48-year-old Sukhvinder Singh of Bhatiyan village near Machhiwara, who is at Singhu border.Agreeing that violence dented the agitation, a Samrala farmer said, “We will not return till our mission of getting laws repealed is complete. We will achieve it with peaceful means.”Farmer leaders also said they would continue with the protest. “Till the time laws are not annulled, we will not return. Even if it takes six months or a year. We have support of the people. The incident was not related to us. We want those who unfurled the flag be punished,” said Inderjit Singh, block president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Dakonda, who is at Tikri border.

The Times of India

2021-01-28

Ludhiana