Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers’ protest: When people united for a cause

Tribune News ServiceJalandhar, December 6Four doctors from the Aam Aadmi Party headed to the farmers’ protest site earlier this week, where they are camping to extend medicines and other medical aid to farmers.Earlier this week, three SAD MLAs — Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Pawan Tinu and Baldev Singh Khaira — also joined the stir after staying at the Haryana-Delhi border for two days. Representatives of the Youth Congress also held a medical camp at the protest site and a langar in solidarity with the protesters.The farm protests have evoked passionate responses from leaders across party lines in an unprecedented show of solidarity, the likes of which haven’t been witnessed in any civil rights protest initiating in the state before.While former CM and Akali Dal patriarch Parkash Singh Badal declared that he would return his Padma Shri, many sportspersons also headed to Delhi to return their respective awards. They also include leaders bearing varied political allegiances. With health issues increasingly affecting farmers out at the protests, several doctors, who are members of the AAP, headed to help the farmers.Dr Sanjeev Sharma, AAP leader and an ENT specialist, said: “Four doctors were at Delhi for three days with 10 ambulances, 40 paramedics and a host of medical supplies. Our teams are still there. There are many elderly farmers here who are staying put in bitter cold in the open. Several elderly farmers have died. So, we doctors decided to come forward and extend medical support.”Dr Sanjiv was accompanied by Dr Shiv Dyal Mali, Jalandhar district urban president AAP; Dr Ravjot, heart specialist and Dr Balbir Singh, eye specialist and former co-convener of the state — all members of AAP. While a cardiac ambulance also stayed there for a day, doctors extended help for three days. A team of the AAP is still there.Dr Sharma added: “We went there first as doctors. If a doctor from another political party joins in to help, they would be welcome. This protest is beyond party politics. Medical aid is urgently needed at the protests. Medical camps must be aplenty, but there were a few doctors there. We held a medicine langar and will be taking in more medicines when we go back.”SAD leader Gurpartap Singh Wadala said: “About 150 of us in 30 to 35 vehicles went in to express solidarity with farmers. I was joined by MLAs Baldev Khaira and Pawan Tinu. The atmosphere is very high spirited and there is no telling for how long the protesters will stay. We spent two days and three nights there. The protests are bipartisan and stretch across political lines. Villagers are also going in large numbers independently to offer support. If the impasse isn’t broken soon, the party might even ask every village to take its own two to three trailers to extend support to protests.”Angad Dutta, president, Youth Congress, Jalandhar, said: “While Barinder Singh Dhillon state president of the Youth Congress is already in charge of the langar being organised for farmers at the protests, the IYC is also holding a regular medical camp for farmers. If need be, activists shall also reach the protests in solidarity with the cause. Many are already there in personal capacity.”Support for December 8 Bharat Bandh Jalandhar: The road on the Bachua toll plaza shall be blocked on December 8 to show solidarity with the protesting farmers. The decision was announced by the Kul Hind Kisan Sabha vice-president Nawanshar Karan Singh Rana here on Sunday. With the awareness and social media activism picking up pace, a number of farmer bodies, artists’ collectives and social organisations have extended support. While two protests were held on Friday night, effigy burning protests were also held yesterday across various places such as Lohian T-point, Sidhour road, Vishwakarma market, Lohian Khas proper among other spots. Appealing everyone to make the bandh a success, Rana sought the support of all Punjabis and asked people to reach the site in the morning. TNS

The Tribune

2020-12-07