Thousands of farmers on Thursday hit the road at Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Rewasan borders of Delhi, taking out tractor rallies to escalate agitation against the new farm laws.
The farmers said their march on Thursday is just a rehearsal for their proposed January 26 tractor parade during which they will attempt to move into the national Capital from different parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
The tractor march started from four different points — Singhu to Tikri Border, Tikri to Kundli, Ghazipur to Palwal and Rewasan to Palwal. As the march started from all borders, the protest sites wore a deserted look.
From Ghazipur border, Rakesh Tikait, the spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) lead the rally in which there were around 500 tractors, some cars and bike. With Punjabi songs and slogans, farmers on tractors started their rallies around 11 am.
Meanwhile, the crowd thinned at the Singhu Border, the main protest site, but life continued as usual.
Langars kept dishing out meals, and medical camps distributed medicines to all those who stayed back, particularly the elderly and the women.
Logs for bonefire have been brought in huge quantities to keep people warm in the chilling temperature.
Meanwhile, the KMP expressway was dotted with tractors and farmers the whole day. Several protesters lined on the route to provide fellow farmers with all kinds of supplies, including peanuts, tea, and newspapers.
Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of Bharati Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), whose union is one of the largest farmer organisations in Punjab, claimed farmers participated in the march with over 3,500 tractors and trolleys. He said they will not accept anything less than the repeal of the three farm laws.
Yogendra Yadav on Thursday claimed people are still joining the protest in a large number and it will be intensified in coming days.
“Today’s tractor rally was just a trailer for the Government. Around 5,000 tractors were there today in the tractor march. If the Government does not repeal these laws till January 26, we will enter Delhi on our tractors,” said Yadav.
“Women are also joining the protest and they have also come forward to hold one day hunger strike against the Centre’s new farms laws. On Thursday, 11 women whose husband died during the protest sat on one day hunger strike,” said Yadav.
“We are the sons of soil. If the laws are passed, we will starve to death. This rally is our way of telling the Government that we will not give up unless it gives in to our demands,” said Jaspal Singh Deol from Punjab’s Chamkaur Sahib.
The eighth round of talks between protesting unions and the Central Government is scheduled to be held on Friday.
Following the tractor rally call, the Delhi, Gurugam and Uttar Pradesh (UP) police tightened its security along the borders. The police also diverted routes and closed the KMP expressway for commuters for a few hours which led to traffic jams at several places.
Braving severe cold and sporadic rain, the farmers have been camping at Delhi borders.
