December 8, 2020 9:30:25 am
Warm jackets are distributed to farmers during their ongoing ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation against the new farm laws, at the Singhu border in New Delhi on Sunday, December 6, 2020 (PTI Photo: Manvender Vashist).
“Ab ki baar, kisan aur mazdoor”. The slogan echoed in the Phulan village of Haryana’s Fatehabad district early in the morning as its residents went to collect milk. Within an hour, 50 liters were collected and placed in a vehicle to be shipped to the Kundli border, where farmers protesting against central agricultural laws stay.
More than 200 kilometers away, in the 5-0 Lakhian village in the Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan, farmer Galaxy Brar says: “Abhi nahi toh kabhi nahi (it is now or never).” Brar has created a corpus fund with the help of donations from NRI, landowners, and even BJP leaders who cannot support the farmers’ protest “openly”. This fund is used to power the tractors of farmers who cannot afford diesel. The money from the corpus has already been used to fill the fuel tanks of more than 40 tractors (most tractors have fuel tanks with a capacity between 45 and 65 liters) and spend about 4,000 rupees per vehicle.
Thousands of miles away, the California-based Tut brothers are working on the lines to ship almonds to protesting farmers on the Delhi borders. Brothers Surjit Singh Tut, Pritam Singh Tut, Ranjit Singh Tut and Amarjit Singh Tut, who come from the village of Paragpur in Jalandhar, have already sent 20 quintals of almonds to the protesters. More sacks are being prepared.
Back home in Bathinda, the owner of a private gasoline pump provided free fuel for four days to farmers on the way to the national capital. In the meantime, various mechanics they are now camping at the Singhu and Tikri border in Delhi and repairing tractors and singers for free.
Kinnow growers from Sri Ganganagar are supplying the fruit for free to farmers, while some large farmers are shipping carrots by the quintals.
The Punjab Muslim Federation has organized free langar de zarda (sweetened rice). A part of the drug stocks has been shipped twice by the Ludhiana industrialists.
“Every hand is contributing, the kisan aandolan has become an image of unity in diversity. The leaders tried to separate us, but their agricultural laws have united us like anything else, ”said Master Jagdish Phulan from Phulan village of Ratia constituency of Fatehabad district of Haryana. This town is located on the edge of the Mansa district, about 200 km from the Kundli border. Dharampal Mela, a member of the committee that collects rations for the Delhi protest and is also a resident of Phulan, said: “About 35 villages in Ratia collect more than 2000 liters of milk every day, which is cantering to the border of Kundli every day. day.”
Volunteers pack medicine for the use of farmers protesting against the new agricultural laws in New Delhi. (Express photo: Praveen Khanna)
“All Haryana is loaded now. I voted for BJP, but now I don’t care anymore. Kisan-Mazdoor is our only concern. We are not bothered by any political party, ”said Bansi Lal Sihag, a resident of Jandwala village, Fatehabad.
Ashish Kumar, another Bhiwani villager, said: “Groups of 100 of our people are replaced every other day and we are collecting funds that are used for travel, rations, whatever is needed at the Dharna site.”
Defender Mubeen Farooqi and 25 other Malerkotla people have been at the Singhu border since November 26. “We challenged water cannons and tear gas projectiles to get to the scene. However, on day 1, when there was total chaos, our friends from Sonipat had sent us fruits that were distributed among the people since cooking in langar was not possible from day 1. Now we are doing Zarda (mithe chawal) and this langar is liking it. For all. Rather, people from outside the slums who are not even part of dharna come to eat. Langar is for everyone. So far more than 40 quintals of rice have been used, ”said Farooqi, president of the Muslim Federation of Punjab.
Anuj Singh, UP resident, who is a member of BKU (Tikait), said: “Everyone has come here with some preparation. It is a long road and we have to be prepared. Our farmers have also come with rice and vegetables ”.
Two volunteers distribute almonds. (PTI Photo: Manvender Vashist)
Meanwhile, Galaxy Brar said: “I had announced via social media that people can approach me for free fuel as a corpus fund has been created. People from Punjab, Rajasthan have contacted me so far. I get your fuel online through my BPCL card and the payment is made on my behalf. A car receives 1,000 liters of fuel to come and go, since the jathas replace each other. “
Jagdish Chahar from Raisinghnagar in Ganganagar District said: “Farmers are taking chana, sabut moong ki daal that is grown in their fields. They are also consuming wheat flour ”.
“Jatinderpal Jodhan, a farmer from Ganganagar, gave a quintal of carrots from his fields. And 100 quintals of kinnow must be sent to all the borders of Delhi with the contribution of the Ganganagar farmers. We have already sent to Malta, ”said Sameer Sahu from Naggi village.
“It is a kisan move now. Farm laws are everyone’s problem. Hence the farmers have decided to make the most of it … We do not want them to return empty-handed. We will not be able to get up again if this time we are disappointed. We have to show our face to our younger generations, ”said Jagdish Phulan.
Joginder Singh Ugrahan, President of BKU (Ugrahan), said: “The kisan andolan has now become the aandolan of the whole country. Farmers in every state are now part of this movement defending farmers’ rights. We are especially grateful to our Haryana brothers and sisters who are doing all they can to help us. Every day thousands of liters of milk come from Haryana. They are also making arrangements for the stay of our members. “
Jagmohan Singh Patiala, member of the All India Kisan Sangrash Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) working committee said: “Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, we were all part of Punjab before. So we have a close affinity with each other. Back home, in our villages too, when many are in morchas, the other villagers, including women, take care of agriculture. Everyone has forgotten their old differences. Farm laws are a death sentence for us. So we are all here together as a Kisan community and not from any particular state or religion. “
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