Farmers’ flag in huge demand, shortage of cloth in Amritsar
AMRITSAR: Ahead of Republic Day and farmers’ tractor march in Delhi, demand for farmers’ flag has far exceeded supply in the district. The boom in the flag market began when farmers started their protest two months ago, and has been continuing, leading to shortage of cloth for making these.
The flags, of xanthic and white colour, carry the slogan of ‘Kisan Mazdoor Ekta Zindabad’.
“Though we distributed these flags in large quantity, but it is difficult for unions. It is good if these flags are available and sold at shops on reasonable rates,” said Tajinderpal Singh, a leader of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, one of the largest unions of the state.
Near the Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Naudh Singh on Tarn Taran road in Amritsar, three shops, which earlier sold Sikh religious flags of saffron colour, are manufacturing and selling farmers’ flags.
At one of the shops, a tailor in nihangs’ traditional dress, Jaswinder Singh, said, “I don’t have time to speak to you as my lot of work is pending and customers who have given orders are waiting. The tractor march has led to increased demand, as youngsters are now buying the flag.”
His assistant, who was printing the slogan in a circular design, said they had sold 300 flags during the day at Rs 50 per flag.
“I have been selling farmers’ flags for two months. These have been selling like hot-cakes. I have not rested since opening my shop, due to the demand. Eight women have been hired at stitch these flags to meet the demand and four of us are working here,” said another shopkeeper Gurbaz Singh.
On number of flags sold in a day, he said, “The number of flags sold out is beyond our calculation.”
“These flags are not available anywhere, so we came here and have purchased 20 flags from here for a tractor rally that may be taken out here on January 26,” said two bike-borne youngsters from Rupal village.
Gurbaz added, “The cloth market of Amritsar is short of cloth used to make the flags. Traders who still have the stock have jacked up rates, exploiting the demand.” Another cloth trader Jatinder Singh said, “Yes, demand for flags has caused shortage of cloth for making flags.”
Farm union finds duplicate flags in Sangrur
Sangrur Members of BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) alleged that Mittal Traders, a stationery shop, was selling duplicate flags. “Farmers reached the shop, we found 70 duplicate flags of BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) at Mittal traders. We maintain record of our flags, and these were being sold without our knowledge. Owners of the shop have apologised and committed to not doing this in future,” said Gobinder Singh, Sangrur block chief of BKU Ugrahan. Surinder Mittal, the shop owner, claimed that they had purchased these flags from Delhi, but still they needed to be careful.