Chhavi Bhatia
Jind: Their tractors dressed to the nines with phulkari, garlands, kisani parcham and Nishan Sahib, themselves sporting new kurta pajama, yellow and green turbans shining crisp, hundreds of thousands of farmers were greeted with flower petals by their Haryanavi counterparts while they headed back to Punjab as Fateh March(victory march)today. After registering a resounding win with the Centre repealing laws and conceding to all the other demands including Minimum Support Price, the farmers brought the year-long revolution to an end on December 8.
Farmers from Haryana, men, women and children included lined along toll plazas in hordes to shower flowers on their Punjabi brethren going home. Emotions ran high on both the sides as locals welcomed them with hands folded in gratitude. If Haryanvis were thanking Punjabis for leading the way for the agitation, the latter returned the sentiment with as much fervour. “We couldn’t have sustained the protest for this long had it not been for Haryana. It helped us in deeds and spirit like a younger brother. From day one, they were with us, sometimes being the first ones to take beatings from the police,” said Yadvinder Singh, a farmer from Bagha Purana village in Moga.
As trolleys carrying farmers’ belongings raced along Haryana, they were stopped to have tea and refreshments every few metres, all arranged by villagers. Chai, laddoos and pakode were favourite of an over-enthusiastic and over-hospitable state on Saturday. Try saying no and young boys holding kisani flags escorted each and every one to the langar or blocked your way, taus carrying lathis and wide grins joining them.
At the Jind Sugar Mill Toll Plaza, it was spring festival. Festoons, balloons, buntings, firecrackers, music systems blaring kisani songs from Kisan Anthem to Zindabad Kisani, and farmers and their supporters dancing with gay abandon—triumph was writ large at the venue. “This day hasn’t come easy. Farmers worked very hard for it. Punjab guided us like an elder brother. This is a befitting send-off to them,” shared Jaimal Choudhary, a local farmer. Womenfolk blessed young boys while men showered marigold on general public too.
“We are simply sharing our happiness. History has been written,” Manjeet Singh, Gharachon block head, Bharatiya Kisan Union(Ugrahan) asserted. At Uchana, farmers had arranged a big langar for farmers. The menu was not less than a restaurant: rice, matar paneer, dal, chhole, poori, kadhi, lassi, tea, halwa—everything being cooked by men and women from nearby villagers. “The arrangements are done by us. We asked everyone in our village to contribute as much as they can. Punjab taught us the practice of langar. We are now saying thank you,” said Chaudhary Ramphal, a local.
King’s welcome: BKU(Ugrahan) chief Joginder Singh Ugrahan, a prominent face of the Morcha who also commands the largest jathebandi of Punjab, received an emperor’s welcome at Datta Singh Wala village where a celebration programme was organised for the farmers. The road leading up to the stage from where he addressed a large gathering of farmers protest, was covered in marigold flowers. His comrades queued up on both sides to shower petals on him, turning the venue into an orange riot.
