Chhavi Bhatia

New Delhi— Farmers are ensuring that their disappointment with the contentious farm laws in the centre of a storm, be heard loud and for this they are formulating new means of protest. A village in Haryana has banned BJP ministers and leaders from entering its premises among other moves which they have called non-cooperation movement.

Bibipur village in Jind district, Haryana claims to imposed “lifetime” ban on Bharatiya Janata Party ministers, legislators, parliamentarians and party workers.  The gram panchayat has also prohibited RSS members and its workers. Among other decisions, the village headman and panchayat members unanimously decided to ban telecast of government-friendly news channels in Bibipur, all with the intent to express their indignation towards the new laws.

“We have taken these decisions unanimously. Be it Prime Minister or Chief Minister, no one from the BJP is allowed to enter our village. Their supporters and RSS members are also not welcome here,” said Dr Dalbir Bibipur, village head. He went on to inform that the whole village will block roads if the party members try to forcibly enter. “We will sit on the road peacefully and prevent them from coming in if they try use police force. No Bibipur resident will attend their rallies or chaupal. They will be met with indifference whenever they try to propagate their agenda,” Dr Dalbir said, adding that their plan of action has been inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement.

Farmers from Bibipur are among thousands from Haryana who are pitched at Singhu-Tikri-Ghazipur entry points of Delhi for over a month now. They have been holding peaceful sit-in against the Centre’s farm laws which they fear will strip them off their livelihoods and destroy their culture of farming. “We immediately decided to stand with our farmer brothers unconditionally when the gave a clarion call. Since Bibipur also does farming mainly, we will fight with other farmers from the country,” Dr Dalbir said.