Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, August 19

With the Assembly elections due early next year and the political activity increasing, flags of farmer unions installed atop or outside houses in villages are now being replaced with that of parties.

Support atop houses

As most people are affiliated with some political outfit, they have started installing flags of parties atop their houses. — Gurprit Singh, Khokhar Sarpanch

Residents of several villages said earlier farmer union flags or black flags were installed at almost all houses, but now these are visible at just about 10-20 per cent of the residences.

“Political activities have increased due to the upcoming Assembly polls. As most people are affiliated to some political outfit, they have started installing flags of parties they owe allegiance to atop or outside their houses. Moreover, flags of farm unions, which were distributed for free in villages a long time ago, have worn out. No one distributed the new ones again,” said Gurprit Singh, sarpanch, Khokhar village, who had launched a cleanliness drive at the Delhi border protest site last year.

Similarly, Parampal Singh, sarpanch, Panniwala Fatta village, said: “The situation is almost same everywhere across the state. Now, the visibility of flags of political parties is increasing in villages.”

Gurbhagat Singh Bhallaiana, general secretary, BKU (Ekta), Muktsar, said, “When the Kisan andolan started, all parties assigned duties to their workers to visit Delhi borders and also install union flags outside their residences. However, as the elections are approaching, the workers’ focus has changed.”