Farmers coming back to protest site

Protesting farmers on the Singhu border mentioned crowds have been coming back to the protest site after the harvest season and so they have been going sturdy regardless of the raging pandemic. Id prayers have been additionally provided by Muslim protesters on Friday.

Sukwinder Singh Barwa from Ropar mentioned that although the group — as in contrast to the start of the protest — had lower than halved through the harvest season, individuals have been slowly beginning to come back collectively. “A group with over 250 tractors and trucks reached on May 10 and another group came on May 12. People are coming back because the harvest season is over,” he mentioned.

Lockdown hurdle

Guramrit Mehma from Ferozabad, who was on the protest until lately and was at the moment at dwelling, mentioned he had not been in a position to come as a result of there was a lockdown in Haryana. “COVID situation in Delhi is bad but even if we want to go, we can’t because of lockdown,” he mentioned.

Mr. Barwa, nevertheless, mentioned that even when individuals are available in teams, they weren’t being stopped. “The COVID situation is indeed bad but for some reason, people at the protest are not getting infected. While we all take precautions but the older generation still doesn’t believe in them. They don’t keep washing hands and don’t sanitise. Some of them wrap their head scarfs around their nose and mouth,” he mentioned.

The essential langars are persevering with. “The speeches start at 11 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. after which there is a break for two hours and then religious chantings of all faiths continue,” mentioned Parminder Singh from Ludhiana.

Mr. Parminder Singh mentioned there was “no question” of the protest coming to a cease at any level except an answer of their favour was reached. “The BJP’s rule can end but not this protest till the demands are met,” he mentioned.

People on the protest websites proceed to make concrete constructions for his or her lodging. “It looks like they won’t leave for the next few years,” he mentioned.

Kamaljeet Singh from Patiala mentioned it was unlucky that the federal government was not prepared to interact with the protesting farmers regardless of the pandemic. “About 450 farmers have died and a pandemic is going on, taking so many lives but the government doesn’t wish to start a dialogue with us. We will soon be completing six months here,” he mentioned.

Morcha slams CM

Referring to Haryana Chief Minister M.L. Khattar’s “appeal” to farmers to finish the protest, stating that few villages had develop into COVID-19 hotspots due to the protesting farmers coming and going to protest websites, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, in an announcement on Friday, mentioned, “Instead of introspecting about his administration’s failure in setting up adequate healthcare facilities and services in the State, he chose to put the blame of COVID-19 spread on protesting farmers. The SKM condemns his statement and points out that the protests have remained largely free of the pandemic.”