NRIs root for farm agitation in cash and kind

SOME HAVE ASKED GROCERY STORE OWNERS IN THEIR NATIVE VILLAGES TO GIVE RATION TO PROTESTERS AT THEIR EXPENSE

LUDHIANA: With farmers gearing up for the R-day tractor parade in Delhi on Tuesday, nonresident Indians (NRIs) who have roots in the state’s villages have been helping out the agitation, in the form of both cash and kind. Farmers are contributing their bit to continue with the agitation, but NRIs are pitching in with lakhs.

Former Sudhar village sarpanch Jaswinder Singh said, “There are around a dozen NRIs from our village who live in Canada, the US and Italy among other countries. They have contributed over Rs 6 lakh to date. Apart from arranging fuel and transportation for farmers who wish to visit Delhi, we have also been able to organise ‘langar’ there. We collect funds from families of the NRIs and make allocations. NRIs have always supported us.”

Some NRIs have asked grocery store owners in their villages to provide ration and bill it to them. Bhaini Darera village resident Gurkirat Singh said, “NRIs are providing most of the funding. It is a huge support for farmers, as a tractor consumes fuel worth Rs 6,000 in a round trip to Delhi. We have also arranged weekly transportation for villagers who wish to visit the protest site. The committee, which has been formed at village level, collected Rs 5 lakh to date, of which Rs 4 lakh has been contributed by NRIs through their relatives, with the rest from villagers.”

Former Andlu sarpanch Gurmail Singh said,” In our village, a few NRIs have also contacted grocers for providing ration to farmers for their journey or for contributing to ‘langar’ organised at the protest site.”

A native of Andlu village in Raikot who has been living in the US for four decades, Tarlochan Singh Sidhu told HT over phone, “We might be living in another country, but we are still attached with our villages. My brother Harwinder Singh Brar still lives in the village and we are involved in farming. We are doing our bit to support the farmers in the fight against injustice and spent Rs 80,000 on providing fuel for tractors and other necessities to farmers, we will contribute more, if needed.”