Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 9

Commuters were at the receiving end on Saturday after a tractor rally was taken out on the city roads to lend support to farmers protesting against the contentious agriculture laws.

With rows of tractors, jeeps and cars taking over roads and highways, farmers continued to raise slogans against the Modi government.

Flaunting banners of ‘Kisan Union Ekta’, ‘No Farmers, No Food, No Future’ and ‘Repeal black laws’, as many as 3,000 farmers and youth took out the rally as a massive show of strength and unity.

A convoy of over 350 tractors and 300 other vehicles travelled for 25 km covering areas including Model Town, GTB Nagar, Guru Nanak Mission Chowk, Skylark Chowk, Nakodar Chowk, Kapurthala Chowk, BMC Chowk, bus stand, BSF Chowk and PAP. The police were also deployed to ensure that the rally remains peaceful.

Gurshant Singh Sidhu, who not only participated in the rally, but was also one of the organising members, said they started their tractor rally on Saturday to further intensify the ongoing protest against the three farm laws.

“It was just a trailer of the Republic Day tractor march. We want to show the government that apart from farmers on the outskirts of Delhi, a sea of supporters from across the state will also enter Delhi on January 26. We are warning the government to withdraw the controversial laws as it’s just the ‘rehearsal’ of the main show,” he said.

Karanveer Singh, one of the protesters who was riding a tractor, said: “It seems like the Prime Minister cannot see us or hear us despite having so much strength. He has forgotten that we are the ones who have voted him to power. Through the tractor rally we would like to tell the government that it is better to take back the laws.”

Accompanying him, Gurpreet Singh, a farmer from Lohian Khas village, said: “This tractor rally was just a preparation to the main parade. Through today’s rally, we were successful in exhibiting our preparation and strength to the government and gave them an idea of how the rally on Republic Day will look like. We are an extremely peaceful lot and we have no intention of getting into face-offs with any person or authority of any kind.”

Meanwhile, around 300-400 people, carrying mashaals and candles in their hands, took out a mashaal march in the city as well. Organised by NGO V4U (The Helping Hand) and Trade Union Council, Jalandhar, the march started from Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall and concluded at Model Town.

Sikh groups to hold rally in Italy

Condemning the adamant attitude of the Centre over the three farm laws, the Alliance of Sikh Organisations (a group of 35 organisations) on Saturday announced to intensify their protest and take it to international level. The organisations said farmers were spending nights on roads in winter season, but the Centre was not willing to accept their demands. On a call given by Italy-based NGO against injustice ‘Movement against Atrocities and Repression’, members of the Alliance of Sikh organisations informed to hold a rally in Rome. They said considering the Covid guidelines, around 100 people will participate in the rally, which will be organised in front of Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations on January 15. Sukhdev Singh Phagwara, spokesperson, said efforts were being made to highlight the issue to gain attention of the UN. “The alliance has decided to hold a massive farmers’ rally on January 15 in Italy. A memorandum will be submitted to the authorities concerned.” TNS