Youth from Jandiala Guru protest near the New Delhi border on Wednesday. Tribune Photo

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 2

As kisan union’s talks with the Centre failed to materialise on December 1, farmers started preparing themselves for a long haul.

The enthusiasm among the farming community has been such that those who had never protested at the local level were set to leave for New Delhi to assist their counterparts.

Inderpreet Singh Dhillon, a farmer from Baserke village, said, “I came back on December 1 to mobilise more farmers and collect some items, which were required for prolonged stay.”

A big farmer, Dhillon, who had never been a part of any kisan union, said, “This is different. I am not associated with any particular farm union, but I am with the farming community.” He said he would leave for New Delhi today.

Gursahib Singh, who has been pursuing LLB from Guru Nanak Dev University, has moved to Delhi alongwith his friends from the university. He said, “My father would have never allowed me to go with my friends for so long. But when I shared the idea with him, he encouraged me.” Gursahib said he plans to return in a few days and his father would head to New Delhi.

Numerous farmers, especially the young ones, had gone to the national capital voluntarily. Harpreet Singh Butari of the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, who had been protesting from the beginning said, “The response from the farming community is phenomenal. The organisations had been holding protests for decades, but voluntary participation was missing. The unions had to mobilise farmers, but now they have moved to New Delhi on their own and without any hesitation.”

Though farmers’ unions had announced a seven-day dharna initially, farmers had made up their mind to take the protest to its logical end.

Meanwhile, those in villages were holding “Akhand Path” for the success of the agitation.

Jagtar Singh, a farmer, said, “A section of national and social media is supporting the new agri laws, but there is not even a single person in any village, who believes in it.”