New Delhi, (Samajweekly) To mark a year since three farm laws were passed by the union government and highlight their plight, hundreds and thousands of farmers observed Bharat Bandh (nationwide shutdown) at the Ghazipur border on Monday.
The peaceful demonstration that began with a halt in the traffic movement at the border picked up pace as the sun climbed up and temperature rose, and gradually dropped down to the same rate with vehicles back on Meerut Expressway.
With their flags held up high on tree branches and lathis, protesters in their trademark white and green kept on buzzing the National Highway-24 with their speeches, poems and interviews to the media persons.
Occasionally slogans like ‘Modi Karega Mandi Band, Hum Karenge Bharat Bandh’ would reach one’s ears.
Set up with numerous camps, this protest site at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border had almost every facility a human colony needs. From morning snacks to lunch to 24X7 tea for everyone in and around the place. Protesters serving others called it ‘seva’, meaning selfless service – a term used in Sikhism.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) – an umbrella body of farmer unions, while announcing a complete shutdown had assured that no emergency services will be put to stop due to this bandh. Complying with this, barricades were removed to let at least three ambulances pass by from the otherwise blocked roads. Policemen could be seen visiting the langar camps at the site to grab a cup of tea, water or to simply take shelter from the sun.
Despite all this, a minor rift based on ideology and class amongst the different farmer unions like Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) could be felt after talking to the farmers on both sides.
By the evening, the blocked NH24 was opened to let the commuters pass by and farmers returned to the usual task they have been doing for the past 10 months at the Ghazipur border.
