After a protracted battle with the Centre that eventually forced the Modi government to repeal the three farm laws, Punjab and Haryana farmers are now reaching out to people expressing gratitude to all those who lend a helping hand during their yearlong protest movement.
Altruists, hoteliers, village panchayats, jewelers, doctors, industrial unions and many others are a part of the thanksgiving list of people being honored by farmers and farmer unions. Farmers from Punjab and Haryana manifested unprecedented bonhomie during the protest movement, something that was earlier unseen owing to the contentious SYL canal issue.
As farmers head back abandoning the Tikri and Singhu borders that had been their sojourn in make-shift tents all through the movement, farmers are trying to cement their bond with people built during distress times. Farmer unions have felicitated US-based Dr Swaiman Singh’s team of doctors who were stationed at the protest sites in medical camps set up to provide rapid medical assistance to farmers braving odds.
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Representatives of farmers’ unions have been visiting areas near the Tikri and Singhu border areas felicitating individuals. Farmer union members visited the Rathee family in Bahadurgarh to thank them for providing a 1,500 square yard building for them to stay.
The building would fetch the family a monthly rental of Rs 70,000, which was given free of cost to protestors. A village panchayat was felicitated for providing a Dharamshala to protesting farmers.
Maruti workers’ unions in Manesar and elsewhere were honored by farmers’ unions for providing all possible support. A jeweler in Bahadurgarh was felicitated for providing space to farmers. The management of an electric crematorium has also been honoured for their support.
BKU Ekta Ugrahan secretary SS Mann said farmers received a lot of love and support from various quarters during the trying times. It’s payback time and unions need to express gratitude to people with folded hands, he said. Ram Singh Rana of the Sanyukht Kisan Morcha said a hotelier in Kundi near the Delhi border has been honoured for supporting the farmers’ movement in all possible ways.
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