Over 30,000 tractors from Punjab, Haryana set out for Republic Day tractor parade PTI
Chandigarh: Several batches of farmers from Punjab and Haryana set out Saturday in their tractor-trolleys and other vehicles to take part in the proposed tractor parade to be held January 26 in Delhi.
Carrying some ration, mattresses and other essentials, cavalcades of tractors left for Delhi to press the Centre to accept their demands.
Tractors carried the flags of the unions, some sported the tricolour, and also posters with slogans of ‘Kisan Ekta Zindabad’, ‘No Farmer, No Food’ and ‘Kaale Kanoon Radd Karo’.
Farmer unions protesting the Centre’s three farm laws had said they would go ahead with their tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day.
"Over 30,000 tractors and trolleys today moved from Khanauri (in Sangrur, Punjab) and Dabwali (in Sirsa district, Haryana) to join the tractor parade in Delhi," said Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan.
Updated Jan 23, 2021 · 09:06 pm Farmers march towards Delhi, to join the protest against the Centre s farm laws, in Amritsar, on Saturday. | PTI
Farmers protesting against the Centre’s new farm laws on Saturday claimed to have the Delhi Police’s permission to hold a tractor rally on Republic Day in Delhi, following multiple discussions with authorities on the demonstration, reported NDTV. However, there has been no confirmation from the police.
Following the 11th round of discussions on Friday, farmer groups had said they would go ahead with the tractor rally on Republic Day. The negotiations between the farmer unions and the Centre hit an impasse on Friday after representatives of the protestors stood firm on their demand for a complete repeal of the new agriculture laws.
BATHINDA
The BJP event in Bathinda’s Ram Chandra Market on Amrik Singh road was disrupted as protesters entered the venue raising slogans.
BJP district president Vinod Kumar Binta said: “We had erected a tent near my office in Ram Chandra Market. We had to celebrate birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and also to listen to the PM live. We had just started the programme when farmers came inside the tent and started raising slogans against us, they threw the chairs and even damaged picture of the former PM. We had no choice but to leave the venue. In a democracy, if they have the right to protest, even we have the right to organise any programme in a peaceful manner. I along with other BJP leaders went to the SSP Bathinda and apprised him of the matter. But we haven’t submitted a written complaint yet.”