Social outfits hold rallies in show of support for farmers
Mahila Kisan Divas to be observed today at UP Gate protest site, when women will head thet movement
GHAZIABAD: On Sunday, the UP Gate site where farmers have been on protest against the three new farm laws, was abuzz with activity as several organisations carried out rallies in the thousands in a show of support.
Among them were volunteers of the Samajwadi Bahujan Manch, a social organisation that took out a “tiranga yatra” (tricolour march) and a “mati sankalp march” (pledge for the soil march) at the UP Gate protest site.
“We brought in soil from farmlands in villages from 25 different districts in western UP, Delhi and Haryana, and handed the earthen pots containing the soil to farmers at the UP Gate. Some of these will also be sent to the Singhu and Tikri borders protest sites. With this march, we have vowed to protect our soil,” Sanjeev Mathur, convener of the organisation, said.
“We also took out a tiranga yatra in which we stitched a 150-metre long tricolour,” the convener of the organisation said.
He added that about 15,000 volunteers joined the rally at UP Gate.
“It is being said that only farmers from Punjab are part of the ongoing agitation, but this is not so. The fight is even for small and marginal farmers alike, as well as landless farmers,” he said
“Even our leaders such as Dr BR Ambedkar would have supported farmers. So, members of our organisation decided that we should take out the aware
ness rally and support farmers at the UP Gate,” Mathur further added.
Members of the Bhagat Singh Ambedkar Brigade also organised a rally.
“Our organisation took out a rally to support farmers and we want them to emerge victorious, said Shyam Kishor Yadav, founder member of the organisation.
“We feel that their talks with the government should continue and we also support their proposed tractor march on January 26,” added Yadav.
MAHILA KISAN DIVAS
Members of the UP Gate protest site said they will observe Monday as Mahila Kisan Divas wherein hundreds of women
farmers from different areas will join them.
The members of the protest sute added that the dais will be coordinated by the women farmers on Monday.
Besides, a kabaddi match has been scheduled to be held on the Delhi-meerut Expressway by the farmers.
“The women farmers will come to the UP Gate protest site in large numbers for the Mahila Kisan Divas. Besides this, a Kabaddi event is also scheduled for Monday. This day will be observed to remember the contribution of the women farmers,” said Jagtar Singh Bajwa, member of the UP Gate committee and a farmer leader who has come all the way from the state oif Uttarakhand.
TRAFFIC AND SOUND CONTROL PANEL
Thousands of farmers have been camping at the UP Gate since November 28 over their demand of repeal of the three new farm laws, which they say are not in their favour.
Successive talks with the representatives from the government have so far failed to break the deadlock between the two parties.
Farmers have said that they will not budge from the site come what may, and have been braving the winter chill and bouts of rain to stand their ground.
The gathering at the UP Gate has swelled further as tractortrolleys
and camps have been put up all across the Ghaziabad-delhi carriageway, from UP Gate to Khoda Colony.
The farmers have also come up with a traffic and sound control committee, which has 11 members who are all senior citizens. A special camp at the site has been erected for the committee members.
“The idea behind this committee is to keep an eye on youngsters who play loud DJ music in their vehicles and perform stunts in tractors. We don’t allow them to play loud music at night, since it will trouble residents nearby (of Khoda Colony),” said Satnam Singh, a senior citizen from Lakhimpur Kheri. “We keep a 24-hour check on such instances and no loud music is allowed here after 10pm,” Satnam Singh added. He added a youngster got injured a couple of days ago while performing stunts with his tractor. “The boy got injured and his tractor saw major damages. It could have led to injuries to people in camps. Our committee keeps an eye on such incidents and we try to prevent them,” he added.