With railway tracks being blocked in several parts of the country, protesting farmers at the Singhu border on Thursday said that while they were holding fort at the Capital’s borders, several localised meetings had ensured that people from their respective villages had participated in large numbers in the rail roko protest.
Stationed at the Delhi borders for nearly three months, the farmers from Delhi’s neighbouring States had called for a rail roko protest on Thursday.
Emphasising on regular meetings for mobilisation for the protest, Sukhjeet Singh, a farmer from Patiala’s Ajrawar village said: “Around 40 people from our village have gone for the rail roko protest. Several others have joined from neighbouring villages as well and assembled at Shambhu railway station which is on the Punjab-Haryana border.”
“Several meetings have taken place over the last few weeks to increase awareness among the farmers and villagers in all districts. We also had discussions on the Food Safety Act, Labour Act and so on. We are attempting to have a larger discussion among villagers to highlight how these series of legislations will be detrimental to all,” said Mr. Singh.
Action plans
Apart from mahapanchayats that are being organised across Haryana, Punjab and U.P., preparation for further action plans are also under way, the farmers said.
Reiterating their demands for a complete repeal of the three laws, they said they would peacefully carry out directions of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha and their respective calls for protest.
Ramandeep Singh, a farmer from Punjab’s Allowal village, said: “Around 15-20 people from our village have gone today [Thursday] for the protest. Whatever calls we get from the unions will be followed and we will ensure they are peaceful. We are not going to do anything that will affect the common citizens.”
“All we can hope now is that the government accepts our demands. Nobody wants to live away from their homes. We are here out of sheer helplessness. But what the government also needs to realise is that we will continue staying here till the laws are repealed, no matter how long it takes,” added Mr. Singh.
Increased mobilisation
Manpreet Singh, another farmer from Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib district, meanwhile, said, “Just like we observed the ‘chakka jam’ protest peacefully, farmers and villagers ensured that the rail roko protest is peaceful. We will continue registering our protest in a peaceful manner and with the increase in awareness we are seeing an increased mobilisation.”
