Protesters observe ‘Black Day’ to mark six months of farm agitation

Farmers protesting at Delhi’s borders marked six months of their agitation on Wednesday by observing a “Black Day”. They burnt effigies, and again demanded that the Centre repeal the three farm laws passed in September 2020.

The farmers also celebrated Buddha Poornima at the protest sites at Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri on Wednesday, while concerns persisted that their mass gathering could turn into a Covid-19 superspreader event.

While black flags were hoisted across tents and trolleys at the protest sites, farmers’ collective Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) said people from several villages and cities also shared pictures of black flags hoisted atop houses as

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well as pictures of them attired in black, in a symbolic show of support to the agitation.

Thousands of farmers have been camping at Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri, since November to press the government into repealing the new laws, which they say will erode their bargaining power, weaken a system of assured prices, and leave them vulnerable to exploitation by big agri businesses.

“From across India, visuals have come of farmers and their supporters expressing solidarity with the protesting farmers, and anger against the BJP government. Lakhs of Indians responded to the call put out by SKM and wore black clothes, hoisted black flags atop their homes and vehicles, and assembled in small groups to burn effigies of the BJP government,”

SKM said in a statement.

“We had arranged for black flags and they got delivered on Tuesday. We carried the effigies around, raising slogans, before burning them,” said Tejvir Singh, a farmer from Ambala district in Punjab.

Stir in Punjab, Haryana

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana put up black flags on their houses on Wednesday, joining the ‘call given by farmer unions.

At some places in Punjab, farmers took out a protest march, holding black flags and raising slogans against the Centre. They also burnt effigies of the central government.

BKU (Ugrahan) Sangrur block chief Gobinder Singh asked farmers to join the three-day dharna in Patiala against the Punjab government from May 28.