No let-up likely in stir as women collect six-month ration for Delhi borders
SANGRUR: With eight months of farmers sitting on dharna at the borders of Delhi not yielding the desired results, the grain grower has now decided to be prepared for the long haul.
Even as the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) faction has announced to hold a protest in Moga, Bathinda and Sangrur districts on August 15 against the black agri-laws and corporate houses, women farmers gave got busy collecting dry ration for the next six months.
Over 100 women, aged between 40 and 70, with saffron dupattas on their heads are going door-to-door across the district’s villages collecting pulses, sugar, flour, cooking oil, rice, onion and other essentials for the Delhi agitation. Male farmers accompany them on a tractor-trolley.
These volunteer collectors are also motivating others in villages to join their protest against the anti-farmer laws.
Ranjit Kaur, 62, Gharachon village unit chief of BKU Ugrahan, said, “We have done thus before. The ration will be used at protest sites. We have spent the winters on the Delhi border and farmers will also continue this dharna across seasons, if needed,” she added.
Harwinder Kaur, 48, said, “Political leaders are fighting for power and we realise that we are only votes for them. Now, we are struggling to save the agriculture sector.”
Manjit Singh Gharachon, a senior leader of BKU Ugrahan, said, “Political parties of all hues are making false promises to lure voters with free electricity units but people are joining hands against antifarmer policies of the BJP government.”