Updated: November 23, 2020 11:35:09 am
Farmers unions are holding meetings in various towns in Punjab for the upcoming Delhi Chalo march.
Farmers who will march to Delhi from November 26 to 27 to pressure the central government to repeal the three agricultural laws said that if the authorities stop them, they will ensure that all roads leading to the National Capital from neighboring states are blocked.
“Haryana farmers will block the National Highway (in that state) to the Delhi side. Farmers in Uttar Pradesh will also block the roads leading to Delhi should they stop. In such a scenario, they will be blocked on all sides by farmers across the country. We will sit in dharnas wherever we stop. We will carry rations, tents, mattresses, bedspreads … We are used to sleeping on the roads and we will continue to sleep on the roads. Farmers across the country, not just Punjab, will sleep on the roads wherever they stop during the march to Delhi. It is up to the Center to take a call about what they want to do, ”said Balbir Singh Rajewal, president of Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal).
The Delhi government has denied permission to farmers to organize any demonstrations at Ram Leela Ground or Jantar Mantar. The farmers, however, remain firm in the march towards the national capital.
Amid reports that Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to the Center asking permission to close markets for a few days if overcrowding and violation of social distancing rules continue, farmers said they are not concerned because “It is a question of our own existence.”
Punjab’s 30 farmers’ organizations have announced that they will send “jathas” as part of the Delhi Chalo protest march.
Explained | Why are Punjab farmers marching to Delhi despite the state passing its own agricultural laws?
“Our whole focus is on the Delhi Chalo program and that is why we have announced that we will lift our dharnas outside all Punjab railway stations on Monday, so that the railways can run their trains,” Rajewal said.
As Railways announces the resumption of services in Punjab starting Monday, there are fears that Punjab farmers could be blocked when moving along the route if the Haryana government does not allow them to enter their state. Punjab farmers plan to enter Haryana via various routes to reach Delhi. Haryana, who has a BJP-JJP government, is suspected of sealing its borders. In that case, Punjab farmers will sit in dharnas on the borders and it will eventually create problems for travelers from both states, ”Rajewal said.
He said: “We are not bothered by the closures in Delhi or the night curfew in some states, which are being quietly enforced before the protest march. It is about our existence as farmers. “
Balbir Kaur, BKU (Dakaunda) leader of Mansa, said: “In the villages, women hold separate meetings. Apart from men, women and children will also be part of this morcha in great numbers. For us, it is like a war with Delhi over agricultural laws. We never thought it would go this far, but now we are ready. “
Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, general secretary of BKU (Ugrahan), Punjab’s largest farmers’ union, said that jathas from more than 2,000 villages will participate in the protest march. “We will go, but we have not decided on a date to return. During the two months of turmoil in Punjab, our women’s wings have grown stronger than ever before. Therefore, we will march in billions to Delhi. The Center has imposed agricultural laws on us, so this march is against them. Either they give us a solution, or we will sit on the roads for as long as the Center wants us to sit. We have the Punjabi spirit. Langar will be served on the roads endlessly. We are not afraid to sleep on the roads, ”Kokrikalan said.
Meanwhile, Rajewal said: “One union (Kisan Mazdoor Sangrash Committee) has not agreed with our decision (to lift the blockade of the train tracks), but that is between the government and that union. Furthermore, if our demands are not met, we will be back on the slopes from December 10th ”.
Jagmohan Singh Patiala, member of the working committee of the All India Kisan Sangrash Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) said: “We have issued an appeal to the KSMC. They are already part of the Delhi Chalo program, which is a bigger event … We need to understand the interests of Punjabis, as the suspension of freight trains is causing damage to the industry.
Satnam Singh Pannu, President of KMSC, meanwhile, said: “We support our announcement that we will not allow passenger trains to run on the tracks.”
The union members are sitting alone at one point, in the park of the Jandiala Guru train station, outside Amritsar.
Surjit Kumar Jyani, Chairman of the BJP panel to coordinate with farmers in Punjab, said: “I had already organized a farmers’ meeting with Union ministers on November 13 and I am hopeful that something will go well before their march in Delhi. We are equally concerned about farmers. “
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