To help the protesting farmers, almost all of the grain markets together with 152 important yards and around 1,700 sub-yards and mandis at the block and village levels had remained closed as arhtiyas and labourers working at these mandis had been a part of the dharna at Delhi border.

Harbans Singh Rosha, the president of Khanna Grain Market Arhtiyas Affiliation, the most important mandi of Punjab, mentioned that fee brokers and labourers in 50 buses and 80 private autos have been being despatched to the dharna site in Delhi. He added that these arhtiyas and labourers belong to the mandis of Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Moga district.

Darshan Lal, the president of Khanna Mandi Labourer Union, said that just about 5-6 lakh labourers, together with migrants, work for round 4-5 months in these mandis round the clock for wheat and paddy seasons.

A fee agent Raj Pal singh Gill said, “At the moment paddy season is over in Punjab and now farmers are bringing Basmati crop, the load of which is not a lot and we now have instructed our respective farmers to carry the Basmati crop solely after the three days.”

Gill who works at the Khanna Mandi highlighted that authorities only look at the 2.5 percent fee of the arhtiyas however they do not see the expenditure which they incur to rearrange the labour, cleansing, weighing amenities and managing all of the procurement for the federal government.

The Agriculture Officers Affiliation, Punjab, Division of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, introduced recently uninterrupted supply of urea to the fields of all of the farmers who are protesting in Delhi. Dr Kripal Singh, the president of the affiliation, mentioned that their body will ensure that the urea provided will reach the field of each of the farmers in case of their absence in Punjab due to the protest.

Agriculture Improvement Officer, Pathankot, Dr Amrik Singh said, “We are in contact with farmers and have requested them to tell us instantly in case of non-supply of urea to their fields as wheat sowing is within the final leg and the farmers want to use it on the crop within 30 days of its sowing.”

Help additionally is pouring in for protesting farmers from members of the Christian neighbourhood. A number of youths from the neighbourhood dressed like Santa Claus and had organized a march in Jalandhar, and appealed to people to come forward and help the farmers’ protest.

Leaders including Gagan George, Amern Comfortable, Dominic Mattu stated that this protest will not be restricted to the farmers’ neighbourhood but additionally to all communities, as about 80 percent of people are dependent on agriculture.

Tarsem Peter, Area Chief and president of Pendu Mazdoor Union Punjab stated, “The Christian neighbourhood is generally working as labourers within the fields of farmers and if farmers are getting hit, it would have an effect on the labour class too.”

Support from Hoshiarpur

The Bharat Bandh call by farmers received full support in Hoshiarpur district. Markets remained closed throughout the day and roads wore a deserted look. Farmers’ organizations blocked all roads to and from the city. During this time, various employee organizations, social organizations, political parties, business organizations, and lawyers also gave full support to the Bharat Bandh. Protest demonstrations were held at various places and rallies were also taken out in support of the peasant struggle. The bandh received full support from people in Garhshankar, Dasuya, Mukerian, Tanda and Talwara and markets remained closed throughout the day.

The District Bar Association, Christian, Dalit, Sikh, Muslim common fronts, Dana Mandi Arthiya Association, Nai Sabzi Mandi Arthiya Association, shopkeepers’ associations, all organizations of the Roadways, Punbus employees, Left parties, and activists of various political parties gave full support opposing the anti-farmer laws. Only emergency services were exempted. Slogans were raised against the Modi government during the dharnas organized at various places, effigies of corporate houses Ambani and Adani were also burnt. Hundreds of people from the area’s villages and various political parties gathered in support of Bharat Bandh at Lachowal toll plaza on the 59th day.

The employees, led by the Punjab Subordinate Service Federation and Municipal Employees’ Union, took a collective leave and staged a protest against the Central Government at the old town hall in Committee Bazaar. Leaders announced that on December 9, a large convoy of employees led by the Pensioners’ United Front will march from Shambhu Barrier to Delhi at 8 am in support of farmers. After the rally, employees marched from Committee Bazaar, Ghanta Ghar, Kashmiri Bazaar, Purani Dana Mandi, Sabzi Mandi, and Gaushala Bazaar to Naloyian Chowk and joined the protests organized by farmers’ organizations at Naloiyan Chowk.

Congressmen, led by District Congress Committee president Dr Kuldeep Nanda, staged a sit-in at the district office and attacked the anti-farmer policies of the Modi government. Advocate Rakesh Marwaha, chairman of the Improvement Trust, said former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri gave the slogan of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’, but the Modi government at the Centre changed it to ‘Die Jawan, Die Farmer’, for which the country would never forgive him.

Shiv Sena’s Punjab Chief Ranjit Rana led the agitation by party workers from Kotwali Bazaar to Ghantaghar, Jalandhar Road, Vegetable Market Khanpuri Gate and different markets.

(Source: PTI, ANI & the Tribune)