Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

Two farm unions hold mega protest rally in Punjab’s Barnala dist

- Agencies letters@hindustant­imes.com

THE RALLY SAW MASSIVE FOOTFALL, WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL SECTIONS OF SOCIETY ATTENDING IT

NEW DELHI: The farmers’ protest against the three agri laws introduced by the Bjp-led central government entered its 86th day on February 21. Two farmers’ unions have come together in Punjab to hold a Maha Kisan rally opposing the Centre’s farm laws. While a significan­t part of the protest has been happening around the border areas of the national capital since November last year, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-ugrahan) along with Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union held a grand rally on Sunday in Punjab’s Barnala district.

The BKU (Ekta-ugrahan) on its Twitter handle had said that the rally is of historic importance as the farmers’ union and the agricultur­al laborer’s union are coming together to agitate against the repressive state.

BKU leader Rakesh Tikait has also scheduled series of Kisan Maha Panchayats against the farm laws in the upcoming week.

The rally in Barnala saw massive footfall, with people from all sections of society, irrespecti­ve of age and gender attending the rally in huge numbers.

Along with the leadership of BKU Ugrahan, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, the leaders of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of the protesting farmers’ union, Balbir Singh Rajewal,

Ruldu Singh Mansa also participat­ed in the maha rally.

Women from the union were also at the forefront of the rally and participat­ed in huge numbers.

Most of the women adorned yellow dupatta signifying the solidarity with the union.

Sufi singers too attended and performed at the rally to boost the morale of the crowd to continue the resistance against the farm laws.

As in the earlier protest, in Barnala too, volunteers from farmers’ union were seen making and serving tea langar in Kisan Maha Panchayat in the grain market of Barnala district on Sunday.

The farmers’ from across the country have been demanding the rollback of Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitati­on) Act, the Farmers (Empowermen­t and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commoditie­s (Amendment) Act passed by the Parliament in September, 2020.

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