Amarjot Kaur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 5

Young guns of ‘generation Z’ today gathered at Matka Chowk here to support farmers and Greta Thunberg, a Swedish environmental activist known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action against climate change. Moved by her tweets and the plight of farmers protesting against the new agricultural laws, the children expressed concern over food security and the future of India.

Udaybir Singh (12) said: “I support Greta for standing up for the farmers. I read her tweet and was deeply moved by her concern for the country.”

Nine-year-old Harveer Pratap Singh stood at the chowk, shouting slogans of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’. He said: “I am here to support the farmers who are rightfully asking for the black laws to be repealed. The government is calling us terrorists, but we are farmers. Farmers are not terrorists.”

Jiya, a 15-year-old city student, backed Greta’s tweet ‘I still stand with farmers’, and said: “I like that Greta’s speaking about the farmers plight and she’s right in supporting the farmers. The government should at least address the issue.”

Zorawar Singh (12) shared: “My father’s in the Army and my family has been farming for generations. The farmers are not anti-nationals. They are fighting for their rights. I am here to support them, just like Greta did.”

Anvi Gupta (12) said: “I saw the news yesterday about Greta and I don’t like what the government is doing. They are hurting farmers for no apparent reason and are supporting private companies. I don’t think the future of this country is secure.”

Protests at Sector 20, Marriot Chowk

People protested at the Sector 20 roundabout and the Marriot Chowk. Parneet Kaur, a teacher, said: “I’m here because these farm laws are not just anti-farmer, but anti-consumer too.” At the Sector 35 roundabout, the protesters from Dhanas distributed badges and flags of the Bhartiya Kisan Union to supporters.

New Delhi, February 7

The demand for cutouts of Rakesh Tikait at Singhu border underlines the growing popularity of the farmer leader credited with reviving the farmers’ movement against the Centre’s farm laws following violence during a tractor rally on Republic Day.

Roadside stalls selling badges, posters and other literature related to the farmers’ stir are a common sight at Singhu border.

Wasim Ali, who has set up such a stall at the protest site, says hand-held cutouts of Tikait are a big hit among the crowd.

“Each cutout of Tikait is priced at Rs 20. I have been selling the cutouts since the last few days as they are in high demand,” he said.

Around 700-800 such cutouts are sold every day, said Ali, a resident of Bawana in north west Delhi.

“I usually buy these cutouts from Sadar Bazar and sell them here. These are the most demanded items at my stall,” he added.

Tikait’s image received a massive boost after he defiantly announced to continue the agitation, even as a large posse of Uttar Pradesh police personnel gathered at Ghazipur protest site after the Republic Day violence, with rumours rife that he might be arrested.

A section of protesting farmers had entered Delhi and reached up to ITO and Red Fort in the heart of the national capital during their tractor rally on January 26. In clashes between police and farmers, scores were injured and property, including buses, were vandalised.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader was unwell when a large number of UP police personnel gathered at Ghazipur border where he had been camping for over two months in protest against the contentious farm laws.

A cornered Tikait, however, addressed a huge crowd at the protest site, which has now become a focal point of the agitation, after his teary-eyed speech was beamed by news channels amid dwindled presence at Ghazipur border after the January 26 violent clashes.

He had reaffirmed the resolve of the farmers, saying “they won’t relent or retreat”.

Tikait’s emotional appeal galvanised thousands of farmers from western UP as well as Punjab and Haryana, who took to road to join the agitation that had faced the threat of petering out in the wake of the January 26 episode. PTI

Tribune News Service

Zirakpur, February 6

Several light points on Saturday were blocked by protesters in Zirakpur during the ‘Chakka Jam’ announced by farmers.

Farmers’ union on Friday had announced a ‘Chakka Jam’ to protest against the Internet ban on Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders.

The Chandigarh-Zirakpur border and the Panchkula-Zirakpur border have been blocked. Traffic has come to a complete halt on both sides of the highways.

Meanwhile, in Mohali, main light points and T-points have been blocked by protesters.

Protesters have parked personal vehicles in the middle of the roads.

DSP (Traffic) Guriqbal Singh said: “We are trying to divert the traffic and managing U-turns. The situation is peaceful. No untoward incident reported till now.”

New Delhi, February 7

The Delhi Police on Sunday arrested a 60-year-old man from Chandigarh in connection with the violence that took place at Red Fort during the farmers’ tractor parade on Republic Day, officials said.

With his arrest, the total number of people nabbed by Delhi Police in connection with the violence that took place across the national capital on January 26 has gone up to 127.

Sukhdev Singh was arrested from Chandigarh by the Crime Branch team, which is probing 13 cases registered in connection with the Republic Day violence, they said.

The police had earlier announced a cash reward for Singh and three others for allegedly instigating protesters.

The police have also announced cash reward of Rs 1 lakh for information that can lead to the arrest of actor Deep Sidhu, Jugraj Singh, Gurjot Singh and Gurjant Singh who hoisted flags at the Red Fort or were involved in the act.

A senior police officer said Singh was allegedly leading the mob at the Red Fort on the day of incident and he was found to have an “active presence” at the spot.

So far, a total of 127 people have been arrested in connection with the Republic Day violence across the national capital, police said.

Thousands of farmers protesting the Centre’s new agri laws had clashed with the police during the tractor parade on January 26.

Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and a flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled on Independence Day. PTI

Tribune News Service

Ambala, February 6

On the call of a nationwide chakka jam given by farmer unions, farmers today blocked national and state highways for three hours at seven locations each in Ambala and Kurukshetra.

Farmers from Haryana and Punjab held a joint protest near the Shambhu toll plaza and raised slogans against the Union Government. Farmer leaders accused the government of making attempts to disturb harmony and not accepting farmers’ demands.

The farmers also blocked the highways near Devi Nagar, Saini Majra near Karasan and Hema Majra in Ambala, Rattangarh near Pipli, Teokar, Ladwa road and Karah Sahib in Kurukshetra.

united they stand

Earlier, we had planned to hold our protest at the Shambhu toll plaza, but a few farmers from Punjab suggested that we should hold a joint protest as it is an area on the border of Haryana and Punjab. It is also an attempt to give a clear message to the government that it should stop making attempts to create differences between Haryana and Punjab. —Gulab Singh, Farmer leader

Due to these blockades, the local police diverted traffic towards alternative routes. However, a large number of vehicles and roadways buses of Punjab preferred to wait till the blockades were lifted. Some people were also seen travelling on foot.

Harmit Singh, who was waiting near the Shambhu toll plaza, said, “I drive a commercial vehicle and after offloading some stock, I was on my way back to Punjab. I extend my full support to the farmers and I will keep waiting here till the blockade is lifted.”

Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) Ambala district vice-president Gulab Singh said, “Earlier, we had planned to hold our protest at the toll plaza but around three days ago, a few farmers from Punjab suggested that we should hold a joint protest as it is a bordering area of Haryana and Punjab. Following their suggestion, we held a joint protest. It is also an attempt to give a clear message to the government that it should stop making attempts to create differences between Haryana and Punjab. We have held a peaceful agitation, the government is under pressure and we are hopeful that our demands will be met soon.”

Bhopal, February 6

In an apparent attack on Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar over the farmers’ protest, senior RSS leader Raghunandan Sharma has said the arrogance of power had gone to his head.

Sharma, a former BJP Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh, in his Facebook post written two days back, also suggested to the minister that he should work towards strengthening nationalism.

In his social media post that starts with the line, “Narendraji, you are part and parcel of the government,” Sharma said, “Your intention might be of helping the farmers, but if some people don’t want to be helped, what is the use of doing such good?”

“If someone wants to remain naked, what is the use of forcibly clothing him,” he said.

“If you are harbouring a thought that you are reaping the fruits of your hard labour, it is your illusion,” the 73- year-old RSS leader said in the post.

“…Today arrogance of power has gone to your head. Why are you losing the mandate? We are endorsing all rotten policies of the Congress which is not in our interest. Leakage in drops of water from a pitcher empties it. So is with the mandate,” he said.

“Employ all might to strengthen nationalism or else we have to regret. I think you might have read the indication to preserve the ideology,” he added.

Sharma described how the (RSS’s) ideology was developed with toil, sacrifice and devotion over a century for expanding its footprints, propagating service to the motherland, putting nationalism first and leading to the installation of a nationalist government at the Centre.

“Thousands of nationalists have devoted their lives for today’s nationalist government,” he said. PTI

Palghar, February 6

A 26-year-old Navy sailor who had been abducted in Chennai on January 30 was set on fire by the kidnappers in jungles of Maharashtra’s Palghar district and he died of injuries, the police said on Saturday.

Suraj Kumar Dubey, the victim, died while he was being shifted to hospital in Mumbai on Friday, district police said.

Dubey, who hailed from Ranchi, was posted at INS Agrani near Coimbatore, said Palghar district police spokesperson Sachin Navadkar.

As per the preliminary information, when he was returning from vacation on January 30, three men abducted him at gun point outside Chennai Airport around 9 pm and demanded ransom of Rs 10 lakh.

He was kept captive in Chennai for three days and later shifted to area near Vevji in Talasari area of Palghar district of Maharashtra, close to Mumbai and 1,400 km away from the Tamil Nadu capital.

On Friday morning, the abductors tied his hands and legs and set him on fire in jungles near Gholvad, and fled leaving him for dead, police said.

Dubey managed to run away and with the help of some locals, reached Dahanu Primary Health Centre.

As he had more than 90 per cent burn injuries, he was rushed to the naval hospital in Mumbai but he died on the way, police said.

Before dying, he narrated the ordeal to police, Navadkar said.