Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers call to observe black Diwali against ‘draconian’ laws

Amritsar, November 9With ‘rail roko’ agitation entering the 47th day, farmers gave a clarion call to observe ‘Black Diwali’ against the newly enacted three farm laws by the Centre.Under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, farmers had shifted from rail tracks to open grounds to facilitate the movement of freight trains.Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, said, “For the last one week, rail tracks have been vacated, keeping in view the interest of traders and general public. The Centre is defaming farmers and making frivolous excuses by not resuming services of goods trains. We appeal residents to observe ‘Black Diwali’ as the draconian farm laws will make life of farmers miserable.”Pandher said on November 14, people should cooperate with the farming community. “Our representatives will go to bus stands and fix black flags on buses. We will ask shopkeepers to hoist black flags atop their shops. We will appeal the general public to fix black flags on their vehicles,” he said.Punjabi singer Harf Cheema visited protesting farmers at Manawala toll plaza on the Amritsar-Jalandhar GT Road and those observing dharna outside the residence of Bharatiya Janata Party MP Shwait Malik.Showing solidarity with farmers’ stir, Cheema said it’s a do or die situation for the farming community. “Agrarian crisis should be dealt in a proper manner and there is no looking back now. Like Malwa, youths of Majha, too, should hit the streets to support farmers,” he said.Farmers demanded that to ease tension, the Centre must run goods trains at the earliest. When asked about the Centre’s call for holding talks, Harjit Singh Jhita, a farmer, said, “The Centre has agreed to hold talks, but after Diwali. This implies that the Central government intends to prolong the economic blockade of Punjab at a time when festive season is on.”Under debt, farmer commits suicide in Manochahal KalanTarn Taran: Sukhwinder Singh (53), a resident of Manochahal Kalan village, who was under debt, committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance during the wee hours on Monday. He was rushed to a hospital in a serious condition where he breathed his last. Satnam Singh Manochahal, a farmer leader, said the deceased farmer had a limit of Rs 7 lakh from Punjab and Sindh Bank. He said the deceased had repaid Rs 50,000 last year, but the bank sent him a balance sheet of Rs 9 lakh this year. Sukhwinder also owed Rs 2 lakh to his commission agent. He was worried about marriage of his daughter and yield of the 1509 variety of paddy failed to give the desired result. — OC

The Tribune

2020-11-10