Singhu Border, Delhi-Karnal road
The tents which had been home to scores of farmers for the last 380 days have been uprooted, the langars are drawing towards an end and almost everyone was busy picking up the pieces of what remained of possibly the longest farmers’ protest in the recent history of the country. Near the main stage of the protest site, a shower of petals welcomed the people.
The speakers roared with slogans of “Wahe Guru ji Da Khalsa, Wahe Guru ji di Fateh”. Farmers hugged each other and clicked selfies to carry home memories of their joint struggle and victory as the central government agreed to repeal the three contentious farm laws that had led to thousands of these farmers picketing at Singhu border since November 26 last year in order to press the Centre to take back these laws.
Among the celebrating farmers was Gurdas Singh, a farmer from Batala, Punjab, who called Singhu border his second home. “We are very happy at the success of the farmers’ struggle. This [government taking back the laws] wouldn’t have been possible with people’s support. So many people from Haryana helped us out – provided us with food material for langar and what not,” he told Gaon Connection.
Also Read: Farmers’ protest called off as government agrees to the demands
A few meters ahead, Amarjeet Singh was busy picking up the sheets of the tent along with his fellow farmers. The farmer from Ludhiana shared that the first thing he would do after returning home would be to attend an akhand paath. “We will do a rab ka shukraana. It’s only because of His blessings that the government accepted all our demands and we are in a position to go back home,” he told Gaon Connection.
Talking about his relationship with the people at Singhu border, Amarjeet said that he will miss the place and the bonds he made with people here. “Now that we have to return, I am coming to terms with all that I will miss. Little children used to come here, have langar and spend time with us. Now that we are leaving, I will always think about them – hamesha sochta rahunga, khaana khaya ki nahin unhone. Kya kar rahe hain wo,” he added.
Farmers’ Protest
Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and some other states had been camping at Delhi’s borders, predominantly Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders, for the past 380 days since November 26, 2020. The farmers’ protest sprung up to demand the repeal of the three contentious farm laws – The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on November 19 had announced the withdrawal of the three contentious farm laws in the winter session of the Parliament. On November 29, The Farm Laws Repeal Act, 2021 was finally passed and the farm laws were repealed.
The farmers had announced that they’ll return from the protest sites only upon the fulfillment of their other demands that included – unconditional withdrawal of police cases lodged against the protestors during the agitation, and payment of compensation to the families of farmers who died during the course of the movement in the last one year among others.
Also Read: Jubilant mood at Singhu border but farmers want repeal of farm laws stamped, sealed and delivered
On December 9, upon receipt of a formal letter from the government that accepted all the demands put forth by the farmers, the farmers announced to withdraw their protests today on December 11.
‘We will clean up the site and then only return home’
While many are happy to return and reunite with their families, a few families are staying back. Gurmukh Singh Saini from Ropar, Punjab has been camping with his family at Singhu border for the past one year and has also organised his langar at the border. “We still have our langar going on and will wind it up towards the end when everyone has left, not before that. No one will return hungry from here,” he said.
Talking about the bonhomie he witnessed at Singhu border, Gurmukh told Gaon Connection, “The brotherhood that we have witnessed at Singhu is unparalleled – something that Punjab had witnessed only before 1947. I hope we can reciprocate the same back home in our villages too.”
Eighty-five years old Nachatter Singh Grewal, the oldest protestor at Singhu border, was surrounded by a group of young boys who were seeking his blessings. Talking about the winding up of the farmers’ protest and his future plans, Nachatter said, “I will return home in another three to four days. We’ll clear and clean all the roads so that nobody can blame us for leaving them dirty.”
The 85-year-old, whose village Burj Hari Singh Wala in Punjab is 306 kilometres from the Singhu border, added: “I will walk back all the way home, it might take me a long time to reach home but I will still walk.”
Also Read: Farmers’ protest completes one year; 90-yo Bhagwan Kaur has been camping for a year now
Sharing about the first thing he intends to do upon returning, Nachatter Singh said that he wished to go back to Anandpur Sahib, spend some time there and then return to his family in Ludhiana. Looking back at the year gone by, he told Gaon Connection, “We had come well prepared. We faced many ups and down but we had one purpose and am glad that has been fulfilled. If we had to protest further, we would still have continued with that.”
Women farmers, an integral part of the farmers’ protest
A little further from the entire commotion, a group of women sat on their hunches preparing rotis for the langar. They were from West Delhi’s Ramesh Nagar’s Gurudwara Committee. Jasbir Kaur, who has been an attendee of the protest since day one on November 26 last year, told Gaon Connection, “We are happy that the farmers are going back to their families, however we will miss the family we had created here.”
Talking about how she intends to remain in touch with everyone she met at Singhu, Jasbir said, “We have exchanged phone numbers. A few people whom we knew in Punjab also came so we will remain in constant touch with them. The only difference is that when they were here, we could meet them easily and now that they’re leaving, we might not be able to visit them that frequently and the distance will increase.”
As the tractors lined up to bid adieu to Singhu border, on a parting note, Gurdas Singh added, “Whoever has not witnessed the protests at Singhu border, has missed witnessing history being created.”
