Farmers’ convoy leaves for Tikri agitation site
KARNAL: Defying the coronavirus lockdown, thousands of farmers gathered at the Karnal and Panipat toll plazas on Sunday morning and left for Tikri on the state’s border with New Delhi, the site where farmers have been protesting against the Centre’s three agricultural laws since last November.
On the call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of over 40 farmers’ unions, farmers will hold protests in New Delhi on May 26, to mark six months of the agitation.
Those supporting the agitation have been asked to hoist black flags on their houses and vehicles the day to register their protest. Haryana Bhartiya Kisan Union president Gurnam Singh Charuni led the convey comprising SUVS, cars and bikes from Karnal’s Bastara toll plaza.
“Around 2,000 vehicles will leave for the protest site from different districts every week in order to maintain the gathering there,” he said. Farmers from Karnal will lead the agitation from May 23 to May 30.
“This movement of farmers will not only strengthen the agitation but will also send a message to those who predicted that the agitation is likely to fizzle out because of decline in the number of farmers on the Delhi borders,” said a farmer leader, pleading anonymity.
With harvesting of wheat over and transplantation of paddy to start from June 15, farmers’ unions from Haryana have reached out to farmers and villagers asking them to ensure a sizeable gathering at the Delhi borders.
Charuni also slammed the lathicharge on farmers. “Farmers were beaten up and FIRS were registered against them but why were the cops not booked for assault and damaging our vehicles,” he said. . He also refuted reports of two farmers dying due to Covid at Singhu border.
Despite restrictions on gatherings amid the pandemic, farmers, many of whom were not wearing masks, gathered at the toll plaza in the presence of police personnel.