Farmers Movement Archive

Piddi village leads from the front in farmers’ stir

Residents of Piddi village in Tarn Taran district have been leading from the front in the farmers’ protest against the Union Government for enacting the farm laws.It was the native village of Satnam Singh Pannun, state president of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC), Punjab. Jasbir Singh Piddi, state leader, and Fetah Singh, senior leader of the KMSC, and many others, too, hail from the village.The village, which has a population of just 2,200, is known for revolutionary spirit. Bhai Gurdit Singh, Bhai Kishan Singh, Bhai Kishan Singh Alaki and Joginder Singh Shant were others who played a remarkable role in the country’s freedom movement. Late Raghbir Singh Pannun was a member of the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) who played an active role in the freedom struggle. Even he was put behind bars twice by the British Government.The villagers have erected a gate in memory of late Raghbir Singh Pannun with his life history at the entry point to the village. Raghbir Singh Pannu was awarded the Shamsheer-E-Dasat by Subhas Chandra Bose for his courageous spirit.The KMSC is the only farmer organisation, which has been leading the farmers’ protest at the national and state levels. Workers of the organisation have been staging a dharna at the Jandiala Guru railway station since September 24 when other farmer organisations vacated the rail tracks.A group of farmers from Punjab led by Jasbir Singh Piddi was the first group which managed to reach the Singhu border (Delhi) crossing all the barricades put up by the Haryana Government on November 28. Sukhwider Singh Sabhra, district president of the organisation, too was among the first key leaders leading a group of the organisation. Satnam Singh Pannu, with as many as 700 vehicles, led farmers on December 11. The leaders of the village not only motivated the villagers but were also active in uniting farmers for the national-level struggle. — TNS

The Tribune

2020-12-23