Farmers’ agitation gains momentum in central Haryana, Ahirwal

Now the khaps, social organisations, students, village panchayats and other groups have come forward to join the protesters.

Nearly ten days after the farmers began their ‘Dilli Chalo’ march against the Centre’s three agricultural laws, the agitation has picked up pace in central Haryana and Ahirwal region.

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Initially, farmers from the GT road belt and districts like Sirsa and Fatehabad, which share border with Punjab, were hitting the road against these laws. However, after the Punjab farmers started a march in November end towards Delhi through central Haryana, peasants from these areas have also joined them. Now the khaps, social organisations, students, village panchayats and other groups have come forward to join the protesters.

Balbir Thakan, secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha, said participation of farmers in the protest has increased after the Haryana Police detained union leaders on the intervening night of November 23-24 from across the state in a major crackdown ahead of the ‘Delhi chalo’ march on November 26.

“The BJP-JJP government has added fuel in the agitation by using barricades, water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse farmers and stop their entry in Delhi. The other factors which brought the attention of common farmers are registration of cases against protesters, digging roads to stop their movement and linking the agitation with Khalistan, China and Pakistan,” he added.

Kisan Sangharsh Samiti (KSS) president Mandeep Singh Nathwan, said farmers from every part of the state are joining the dharna against these three laws.

“The agitation is also picking up pace in Palwal, Faridabad, Nuh and Mahendergarh districts. It was low in few parts of the state earlier because farmers were engaged in wheat sowing and selling their crops. The BJP ministers had also provoked farmers to join the protest by calling them Congressmen and having links to Pakistan, China and receiving funding from Canada,” he added.

Saurabh Dahiya, a farmer from Sonepat, said he along with other villagers has been extending support to the farmers by supplying them essential commodities.

Bijender Sheoran, head of Sheoran Khap from Badhra, a constituency represented by deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala’s mother Naina Chautala, said the farmers from their constituency have been turning up at Tikri border in large numbers.

“ Naina had entered our constituency 16 days before the assembly polls and we had elected her by considering her Devi Lal’s heir. But she and her son Dushyant had disappointed the farmers by not backing them. The JJP leaders failed to take a stand when the police lathicharged farmers and registered FIRs against them. Their lackadaisical approach was also a reason that the farmers from this region joined the protest. Now, the farmers are fighting on their own and do not need any help from politicians to force the government to repeal these laws,” he added.