E-Paper
Villagers in Uttarakhand ban ‘anti-farmer, pro-farm laws politicians’
The banners came up a few days after Uttarakhand education minister Arvind Pandey had to face the anger of villagers while going to attend a programme on January 5.
People in some villages of Uttarakhand’s Bazpur area in US Nagar district have “banned” the entry of “anti-farmer and pro-farm laws politicians” into their villages.
Over the last few days, they have put banners at the entrance of the villages proclaiming that the entry of such people is not allowed in their villages.
Minakshi Surya, village head of Banskhera village in Bazpur said, “We have banned the entry of anti- farmer leaders in our village. If they visit our village, they will face opposition from the villagers. We cannot permit them to play with our sentiments.”
The banners came up a few days after Uttarakhand education minister Arvind Pandey had to face the anger of villagers while going to attend a programme on January 5.
The villagers blocked the road and gheraoed Pandey forcing him to return without attending the programme.
Harvinder Singh Herry, a farmer of one of the villages said, “Our villagers are against the farm laws and any leader who supports the law will not be tolerated in the village. We will continue the ban such leaders till the laws are withdrawn.”
Similar banners have been put at the entrance of Bazpur’s Shivpuri village. The villagers are opposed to the farm laws and are participating in the protests with high spirit, said a resident.
Bazpur has emerged as a major hub of farmer politics after the Centre enacted the three farm laws last September. This area is known for big farms and rich farmers. Several farmers are participating in the farmers’ protest at Gazipur on the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border.
Farmers have also started running a bus between Bazpur and Gazipur twice a week to ferry those who want to participate in the protests.
