Students from Panjab University at Singhu, Tuesday.To support farmers in their protest against the three farm laws, different student groups as well as individuals from Delhi and Punjab have joined protesters at Singhu border. On Tuesday, the air rang with slogans and songs of Bhagat Singh as thousands gathered at the site.
Sitting on the road and making posters that read “Haqq ki ladai” and “Kisan Majdoor Chattra — ek saath” was a group of students from Delhi University.
One of them, Mudita, sang a song near the stage — “Ae Bhagat Singh tu zinda hai har ek lahu ke katrey mein, har ek lahu ke katre mei inquilaab ke naare mein” – as farmers sat on a mat and listened. “We are here to help farmers in their fight. I don’t want this protest to have the same fate as anti-CAA protests in Delhi last year,” she said.
Bilkis Dadi, an octogenarian who took part in the anti-CAA and NRC protests at Shaheen Bagh, also visited the Singhu border with some locals. She told reporters, “I am here to support the farmers. I want the government to take back the new laws… I am also a daughter of a farmer…”
Police, however, removed Bilkis from the site. DCP (Outer north) Gaurav Sharma said, “She is a senior citizen and due to the pandemic, we stopped her at the Singhu border and requested her to return for her own safety. To avoid any inconvenience to her, a police team dropped her at her home in Southeast Delhi.”
Members from Nihang Singh community also arrived from Punjab. Sikander Singh (27), a member of the community, said, “We don’t have a home and help people all over the country. While we don’t know much about farming, we want to help our brothers from Punjab and Haryana.” Singh stood with 10 others from his community and shouted slogans for “kisan ekta”.
Another group of students played drums near the stage, while students from Panjab University held placards and walked around the border to talk to protesters. Gurinder Brar, a student, said, “We have left our studies to help the farmers. We want them to get MSP for their products. I have family members who are suffering because of privatisation in the agriculture sector and who have been protesting against the laws for a month.”
Joining the students, Shivam (26), who works at a stockholder corporation in Chandigarh, has taken a month’s leave from work. “I am from Abhora in Punjab and I know the situation of farmers. My father is also one. I have come here to support our livelihood,” he said.