The historic Tractor Parade by protesting farmers got off to an unpredicted start today early morning, with sections of farmers veering off from the pre-decided route at several points. This happened at Singhu, Tikri, Chilla and Ghazipur borders. The main reason was that the number of farmers arriving for the rally was far greater than anticipated either by the administration or the farmers' unions themselves. At Singhu border, the line of tractors heading for Delhi stretches back nearly a hundred kilometers till Panipat. Similarly at all other points.
At Chilla (Delhi-Noida border) permission was earlier denied but farmers broke through the barricades. Police teargassed them. Currently, police has agreed to allow a parade from there.
Since enthusiasm and energy was high thousands of farmers pressed forward in an attempt to head towards the central parts of Delhi. This has led to teargassing and clashes at Mukarba Chowk, Nangloi, Akshardham Temple and near Badarpur border. Farmers have removed huge containers, dumpers and other heavy vehicles planted across roads by police to prevent movement.
Currently attempts are being made by farmers leaders to stick to pre decided routes and persuade farmers to follow them. Security personnel are out numbered.
Meanwhile farmers rallies, tractor parades and other protests are going on across the country. In several states protests will start in the afternoon.
Preparations are in full swing for the parade that will begin from 3 different points in Delhi. Heavy security has been deployed. The SKM has emphasised that the parade will be peaceful and the only intention is to make their voices heard.
A group of farmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti have started their tractor rally from Singhu border. They are moving on the path approved by the Delhi Police.
A group on Tikri border of Delhi started their march towards Delhi defying the pre-decided route map. NewsClick speaks to people from the ground
There won’t be one but two tractor parades from #TikriBorder. BKU-Ekta Ugrahan will start their rally from Bahadurgarh New Bus Stand and reach Najafgarh directly. The route suggested by Delhi Police earlier passed through Nangloi.
The need to have two rather than one parade was agreed upon yesterday between the union and police officials, a BKU leader told Newsclick. The reason for this is that, “the number of tractors are high here as compared to other protest sites,” he added.
“We will come back to our protest site,” said the leader, adding that the proposal to take out a rally on the Outer Ring Road was finally dropped.
Farmers have come to Delhi fully prepared for their tractor parade on January 26. First, on the call of their unions, they rehearsed for this parade in their villages in Punjab. This went on for three days, from 20 to 22 January. As thousands of their tractors marched from village to village, they persuaded thousands more to drive with them to Delhi on Republic Day, writes Shiv Inder Singh. Click here to read more.
Tikri Border | Gurmeet Singh of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Kadian) told Newsclick that the tractor parade will begin from Tikri Border at 11 am, as scheduled. “Some people, most of who reached the protest site only in recent days, got impatient,” he said about the farmers who resorted to foot march. The tractor parade will be carried out on the route that has been agreed upon and in a “disciplined manner”, Singh added.
Swarup Nagar residents welcome the KMSS tractor parade with flowers and banners. The group started their rally from Singhu border earlier.
As farmers across the country are gearing up for the massive tractor rally in the national capital on Republic Day, January 26, as part of the ongoing struggle against the three contentious farm laws, in Kerala last-minute preparations are on to hold protests and marches across the state, along with other sections of society.
Under the banner of Kerala Samyuktha Karshaka Samithi (SKSK), farmers will hold a parade at 3 p.m at every panchayat and municipal centres across the state, along with students, youth, workers, women among others.
In Thiruvanathapuram, farmers will parade from SME School to Palayam Martyrs Column at 4 p.m, said KN Balagopal and Sathyan Mokeri, convenor and chairman, respectively, of SKSK, in a press statement.
Tikri Border | The tractor parade led by Bharatiya Kisan Union-Ekta Ugrahan has begun. The farmers convoy, reportedly led by union women leader Harinder Bindu, will directly reach Najafgarh.
Tikri Border | Balbir Singh of BKU Ekta Dakaunda appealed to the farmers marching on foot to join the tractor parade. His request, however, went unheard. “The protest must continue in a disciplined manner in the same way it was being run since September from back in Punjab,” he told Newsclick, when asked about the reason behind the appeal.
The leaders of farmers’ organisations appealed to the people to remain peaceful throughout the entire parade starting from Delhi’s North West Border, Singhu. The leaders said that elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure the parade sails smoothly in the national capital. Balbeer Singh Rajewal, President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal), told Newsclick ,”We have arranged langars for feeding people, ambulances if the participants face any medical emergency. We have also arranged mobile workshops for repairing the tractors. We are going to lead a historic parade. I am getting reports that there are numerous similar parades being organised across the country. Modi cannot say that this is a struggle of farmers of only Haryana and Punjab. So, it is important to show restraint. We will face every hardship but never take a step back.”
Emphasising the importance of the historic parade, Randeep Singh Deep Singhwala of Kirti Kisan Union said that violence would derail the entire movement. "If we lose this struggle, please remember there will not be a movement in the coming decades. Therefore, it is our historic duty to remain peaceful and intensify the movement."
The Parade is on in full swing, tractor trail crosses Tikri Kalan as thousands cheer on.
Heavy police deployment at Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar to keep the tractor rally on the pre-approved route. The KMSS group which started from Singhu border have stopped there as they want to go straight ahead towards the Outer Ring Road which was the plan before the police allotted three routes for the tractor parade from Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur borders protests. Continuous police announcements have been taking place asking farmers to continue on the given route.
The historic tractor march begins at Singhu Border with slogans of brotherhood and victory. The protesters are moving forward to reach Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar. The tractors are also carrying food and other items for the parade.
Tractors and trolleys are lined up to 5 km on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, 4 km on Ghazipur-Sahibabad road and hundreds of tractors parked here and there. Over 50,000 people, rough estimates suggest, are at the Ghazipur border and the crowd continues to swell.
All the tractors have the tricolour and flags of respective farmer unions, with patriotic songs reverberating in the air.
"This is the day of Indian republic of which we are part. Delhi belongs to every citizen of the country. So, putting restrictions on farmers to enter the city and celebrate Republic Day is utter nonsense. We give a damn to the guidelines. Stop us if you can," said a group of youngsters shaking legs to bollywood tunes.
“The government said we are a bunch of people protesting at the Delhi borders. We are here. Come and count us. The message is loud and clear. The government will have to repeal the laws if it wants to govern the country. Farmers are the most patient people on this earth. They won't cow down. The agitation, which already has taken the shape of a mass movement, will further intensify," they added.
Ram Singh from Baghpat in western Uttar Pradesh had to marry his only daughter in the days to come. He had pinned his hope on the last sugarcane payment to pay for the marriage. Since he has not got it so far, he is thinking of extending the date of marriage.
"Except agriculture, I don't have any other source of income. How can I think of going ahead without money?" asked the hopeless father.
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