Farmers Movement Archive

Meetings being held in border districts to mobilise farmers’ for protest

Tarn Taran: Farmer leaders held village-wise meetings in border districts of Punjab to motivate more farmers and local residents to join their 9th tractor trolley jatha that would leave for Delhi on March 21. “We are getting huge response from farmers of different states of India, yet we want more and more farmers to reach Delhi so we can build pressure on the Centre and make it accede to our demands,” claimed state general secretary, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC), Sarwan Singh Pandher. Sources said due to ongoing vegetable sowing and ensuing wheat harvesting season, many farmers were returning from Delhi, due to which farmer leaders were trying to motivate farmers to join them. At Khara village near Sarhali in Tarn Taran district, many farmers were seen preparing for the jatha. “At least 30 to 35 farmers from each village will leave for Delhi. They are not going to return immediately but stay for a long time and that’s why they have modified their tractors and trolleys to beat Delhi’s summer,” said Sukhwinder Singh, adding that a minimum of two tractors and trolleys would join the jatha from every village. Meanwhile, farmer leader Lakhwinder Singh Waryamnangal claimed that they would oppose tighter restrictions imposed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) on purchase of wheat crop. He alleged that FCI had reduced moisture content, foreign matter, damaged and discoloured grain and had made procurement specifications stricter to discourage farmers. “We plan to hold joint protests in food grain markets across the state and if the government delays procurement of wheat crop, we will intensify our peaceful protest,” said Waryamnanagal. He claimed that farmers who were agitating at multiple borders of Delhi would return only after achieving their target of repealing the three farm laws.

The Times of India

2021-03-19

Chandigarh