Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers to take part in ‘tractor parade’ on I-Day

Gurgaon: Farmers in the state are gearing up for the proposed tractor parade on Independence Day. Scores of farmers from Jind, Nuh, Hisar, Bahadurgarh, and Gurgaon will come out on the streets on their tractors, bikes and cars to lend support to Samyukta Kisan Morcha's call for the parade at the block and tehsil levels. Farmers’ bodies across the country have decided to mark the 75th Independence Day as the ‘Kisan Mazdoor Azaadi Sangram Diwas’ to infuse fresh steam into their movement, which began last year to oppose the three contentious farm laws. Manjit Thakral, a member of Jai Kisan Andolan, told TOI, “On this Independence Day, we will exercise our right to be free from the chains of authoritarian and anti-people state. We will take out tractor marches on Sunday morning. Farmers will display tableaux related to farming and unity of the working class.” In Gurgaon, for instance, farmers and social activists will celebrate Independence Day by stepping up their agitation and raising anti-government slogans. Protesters will be joined by people from nearby villages. Santokh Singh, a senior SKM member, said, “If we can get rid of the British Empire, we can get rid of these laws too. Our demonstrations will be a message to the government that we are not backing down and that movement is only getting stronger.” Similarly, in Jind, some 20,000 farmers would take out the parade in over 5,000 tractors and celebrate the Kisan Mazdoor Azaadi Sangram Diwas. Farmers who have been protesting near the Khatkar toll plaza on Saturday conducted mock rehearsals with women farmers taking part in large numbers. Farmer leaders and members of the khaps have claimed that they are exercising caution to avoid any untoward incident that may tarnish the purpose of the protest. “We will take out tractor marches on blocks like Narwana, Khatkar toll plaza, Julana, and Safidon,” Virender Singh Sindhu, a member of Starol Khap. In Rewari also, scores of farmers and daily wagers, led by leaders like Yogendra Yadav, are expected to take out a march and reach the protest site at Shahjahanpur border. The parade will begin from the Tankri village in Rewari around 9am and will reach Shahjahanpur border later in the afternoon.

The Times of India

2021-08-15

Gurgaon