Farmers Movement Archive

Little Singhu in the middle of Jalandhar city!

Tribune News ServiceJalandhar, August 22Pathharan te sauna gijjhe, sannu minh naal ki farak painda (We are used to sleeping on stones, how can rain affect us).The farmers, sitting on a dharna 24x7 in Jalandhar on the lines of the Singhu morcha, say that they are prepared to camp here for a long time in case the state government fails to meet their demands. With a long line of vehicles supporting flags reading “Kisan Mazdoor Ekta Zinadabad” on the highway, a makeshift stage has been set up on a tractor from where blares booming speeches of farmers all day long. Besides, a line of parked trolleys and trucks, some serving langars, chabeel and water to farmers at a morcha — all these activities on the Jalandhar-Phawara highway resemble a mini-Singhu.Even as rain lashed the city last night, the farmers stuck to their protesting site on the national highway. They remained in high spirits though their mattreses and beddings were drenched making them scurry for cover in the wee hours. As it rained in parts of the district in the wee hours in the morning, farmers, who have had ample practice of braving heavy showers on the Delhi border protests, hurriedly put up tarpaulins on trucks and shifted to these places to protect themselves from rain.While the meeting with the government remained inconclusive today, farmers continued squatting at the highway and the rail tracks with spirits high. The service lane was opened for the rakhi festival and spirits remained upbeat even as women farmers tied rakhis to farmers.Amrik Singh, district president, Bharti Kisan Union (Kadian), said, “We have seen similar storms and rain in Delhi. We know how to deal with them. Farmers knew there could be chances of inclement weather, they came armed with tarpaulins. After rain everyone shifted to their tractor and remained covered with four tarpaulins. At villages, we have deputed families turn by turn to come to the dharna. On our one call, lakhs can gather here in an hour. Delhi is still far, but this is our own state.”Satnam Singh, a farmer from Gurdaspur who has been camping since day one, said, “We have slept on stones, the first night we slept on rail tracks. Mosquitoes bit us. But we are used to all this. Last night after rain we pegged tents with polythene and tarpaulin. It is almost like a mini room once you stick up a tent. We have already to camp a long time. This dharna is staying put for now. Although we have hoped the state government will respond to our demands.”

The Tribune

2021-08-23