DELHI CHALO
TNN
Ludhiana: Members of various farmers’ organizations and social groups took out a tractor rally in Samrala to ask villagers to be prepared for the rally to Delhi on Republic Day. Leaders of these groups claimed to have received a phenomenal response from villages through which the rally passed.
“We took out the tractor rally in Samrala. It started from near a private college and passed through Gayalpura, Karkhana, Bhagorh, Manki, Kullewal, Rajewal, Shamspur, Nagra, Mutiyon and various other villages. There were about 800 tractors in the rally and the passion of villagers was noteworthy,” said Sanjok Singh, Samrala president of Lok Chetna Lehar, a social organisation. “Through speakers fitted on our tractors, we asked villagers to be ready for the tractor rally to Delhi on Republic Day. This was a rehearsal for that. The laws passed by the Union government are not only against farmers, but against the nation, too.”
Leaders, who participated in the rally, said they had got the message from those at the dharna site to start their journey on tractors around January 23 so that they could reach Delhi by Republic Day. They added that not only farmers, but intellectuals were also supporting them and they would continue to put pressure on the government through these programmes to repeal laws.
“These black laws will badly affect farmers. The government promulgated them to help corporate houses,” said Avtar Singh, a rally participant. He added that they have also been sitting on a dharna near a toll plaza on Ludhiana-Chandigarh Road, near Gulal village.
Various farmers organizations have already announced that copies of the three recently passed farming laws would be burnt on Lohri.