Amid tight security, thousands of farmers on Thursday started their tractor-march from protest sites, Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders, against the three agriculture laws. The march began after elaborate preparations on Wednesday.

Bharati Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) chief Joginder Singh Ugrahan said that farmers participated in the march with over 3,500 tractors and trolleys.

“There were about 300 tractors when we flagged off the march from the Sampla toll gate. But as we joined the KMP or the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway, there were thousands more, it is no exaggeration to say that there were thousands of tractors and farm vehicles joining is on the road,” said AIKS joint secretary Vijoo Krishnan, who took part in the first stage of the march.

“This is a clear warning to the Modi-led BJP government that unless the three Acts and the draft Electricity Bill are withdrawn, the struggle will continue. This is only a rehearsal, nothing in comparison to what will happen on Republic Day. Not only in Delhi, but in every state, in every district of the country, we are preparing for similar tractor parades,” he added.

Haryana farmers affiliated to the Bharatiya Kisan Union faction headed by Gurnam Singh Chaduni are part of the large group moving from Singhu towards Tikri. “There are several kilometres of tractors here with us, I cannot even estimate how many people,” said Rakesh Bains, a BKU-Chaduni spokesperson who is on the road with this group. “We are sending the message that we are preparing like this for January 26. The government should accept this. To our own farming community, we send the message that they should all come out on January 26, for the sake of our country, and in order to raise the issues important to us,” he added.

Salamudeen Meo, president, Mewat Vikas Sabha said that Ramzan Chaudhary, the co-ordinator for the proposed tractor rally from Nuh to Palwal on Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway in Haryana, was detained by the Nuh Police and four-five more leaders were put under house arrest on Thursday morning ahead of the rally. He further alleged that the police were not allowing the tractors to assemble on the Gurugram-Alwar Highway to march towards KMP.

The family of Mr. Chaudhary, president of All-India Mewati Samaj, claimed that he was picked up from the home around 8 a.m. and the police did not allow them to meet him.

Narendra Bijarniya, Superintendent of Police, Nuh said that Mr. Chaudhary was called to the police station to seek the details of the route for the rally to prepare the traffic plan. He said that the tractor-rally was allowed, but there was a need to regulate the traffic since large numbers of heavy commercial vehicles plied on Gurugram Alwar Highway (NH-248A). He denied allegations of house arrests as well.

Preparations for the march a day before

Unlike other days, Wednesday evening was busy for Jaspal Singh, a farmer from Fazilka in Punjab, camping at Pakoda Chowk at Tikri-Bahadurgarh border as he was gearing up for ‘Tractor March’ to be taken out on the call given by the Sankyukt Kisan Morcha on Thursday.

He tied a flag on his tractor, filled the fuel tank with diesel and checked the music system installed on the tractor so as to be ready for participating in the first cavalcade of 400 tractors that left for the Singhu border on Thursday morning. Jaspal started helping other fellow farmers too after finishing his preparations.

“Farmers, especially the youngsters, are enthusiastic about the tractor march and are also ready to lead it from the front. As the march will start at 9 am hence we have tied flags on the tractors and filled their tanks today to save time next morning. Even, music system installed on the tractor has also been checked,” said Jaspal.

He said that three farmers will board on a tractor, while women protesters will not be part of this march. They are planned to remain at protest sites to do routine affairs like attending dharna along with other farmers and preparations of langar. The march (which began this morning) would be peaceful and the tractor would move in a row, he added.

Like Jaspal, other farmers too were excited about the march at Tikri and were seen on Wednesday discussing it with their elderly. “My tractor suddenly developed some technical issue yesterday but I got it rectified today to ensure my participation in the march,” said Jaskaran Singh, another farmer from Punjab.

On Wednesday, Joginder Nain, state president, Bhartiya Kisan Union, said that the farmers would assemble at old bus stand in Bahadurgarh town in the morning. “Thereafter, they will proceed towards Aasodha village for taking the route of KMP highway to go to the Singhu border. Similarly, farmers from Singhu will proceed towards Tikri,” he added.

(Source: PTI)