'Happiness can't be described': Celebrations as farmers vacate Delhi border after year-long protests
Farmers camping at Delhi borders — Singhu, Tikri and Ghaziabad — dismantled makeshift tents, packed their belongings and began their triumphant journey home after the Centre withdrew the three contentious farm laws and acceded to their other demands
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Convoys of tractor trolleys bedecked with flowers and playing ‘victory songs’ on Saturday rolled out of the Singhu protest site, as farmers head home after over a year of agitation at the Delhi-Haryana border, which for many had become home. Farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, had gathered in Delhi in large numbers on 26 November last year to protest against three central farm laws and demand their withdrawal. AFP
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Emotions ran high, as farmers hugged and congratulated each other after the contentious three farm laws were repealed last month by Parliament and after the government also conceded to other demands of the farmers, including a panel for legal guarantee on MSP, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Thursday announced suspension of the protest. While making their way home, they also promised to bonds forged during the past year intact. AP
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“It is an emotional moment for us. We never thought it will be this hard to go back home as we have established a deep connection with the people and the place. This agitation will be in our memories forever,” Gurvinder Singh from Ambala told PTI as he prepared to leave Singhu, the epicentre of the protest and one of the three agitation sites, Tikri and Ghazipur being the others, on Delhi’s borders. PTI
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There was thin police presence at the Singhu Border and those present there looked relaxed. “We have been doing our duties diligently. The end of the protest will surely bring relief for commuters and locals,” a police official, who did not wish to be named, said. PTI
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At some spots, while many danced to the tunes of bhangra and Punjabi songs, at other places farmers performed ‘kirtan’ and offered prayers. “It is the blessing of Guru Sahib that we were successful in forcing the government to repeal the three black farm laws. So, we are performing kirtan’ to thank the almighty and seek his blessings,” Harjit Kaur, 60, from Bhatinda said. AFP
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The returning farmers are also being accorded a rousing welcome with sweets and garlands at several points on their return home for the “victory” of their protests after the suspension of the agitation against the repealed farm laws. Families of farmers along with fellow villagers at many places on the Delhi-Karnal-Ambala and Delhi-Hisar national highways along with other state highways enroute were welcoming and honouring the peasants coming in tractor trolleys with garlands, ’ladoos’, ‘barfi’ and other sweets. AFP
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Farmers use a crane to dismantle a makeshift camp at the Delhi-Haryana state border in Singhu. AFP
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Traffic slowed down on the Delhi-Sonipat-Karnal National Highway (NH) on Saturday as farmers began returning to their home states of Punjab and Haryana in large convoys of tractors and other vehicles. On the Delhi-Rohtak national highway too, the traffic movement at some points had slowed down with a large number of farmers on their way back to homes. AFP
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