Thousands of farmers take out tractor rally on Delhi borders against farm laws as 'dress rehearsal' for Jan 26

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the next round of talks with the Central Government, thousands of protesting farmers on Tuesday organised a ‘tractor march’ in Delhi borders. The farmers’ described the event as a “rehearsal” for a similar roadshow proposed on January 26 to oppose the three new central farm laws.

The march comprising both men and women sitting on hundreds of tractors was flagged off from the Singhu and Tikri entry points on the Delhi-Haryana borders and Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border.

The sloganeering farmers drove their tractors towards Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways, where they plan to converge later in the day.

The tractors sported the tricolour and farmer union flags, apart from banners proclaiming their opposition to the farm laws even as policemen and bystanders looked on with curiosity.

Addressing a press conference at the Singhu border, Yogendra Yadav, political activist and a member of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, Friday said the tractors would leave from the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders, and Rewasan in Haryana, for the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways, and meet midway. “This may be seen as a rehearsal of what will happen on January 26,” he said.

The tractor rally has been organised by Sanyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella of 40 farmer unions demanding the repeal of the three new farm laws and procurement of crops at Minimum Support Price.

Meanwhile, the Supreme court expressed its concern over a large gathering of farmers during COVID-19 and questioned the Centre whether they were “protected” against the spread of COVID-19.

ALSO READ: NLFT cadre held for extortion in Tripura

The apex court was hearing a plea seeking various reliefs including CBI probe into the matter related to assembly of people at Anand Vihar Bus Terminal and the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizammudin Markaz in the national capital after the nationwide lockdown was announced last year to contain the pandemic.

“The same problem is going to arise in farmers' agitation. I do not know if farmers are protected from COVID. So, the same problem is going to arise. It is not that everything is over,” said Chief Justice S A Bobde, heading a bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.

Earlier, the march was scheduled for Wednesday but was cancelled due to inclement weather.

In view of the tractor march, authorities said there would be diversions at several points on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway.

The seventh round of talks between the Centre and farm leaders ended in a stalemate on Monday. Both sides agreed to meet again on January 8.

To support our brand of fearless and investigative journalism, support us HERE. 

Download:                                                                   

The Inside Northeast app HERE for News, Views, and Reviews from Northeast India. 

Do keep following us for news on-the-go. We deliver the Northeast