Sandeep Singh
May 25, 2021 | 2 min. read | Original Reporting

While it may feel at times that the world is no longer watching, the farmers still have a lot of fight left in them. 

A convoy of thousands of farmers, led by leaders Rakesh Tikait and Gurnam Singh Chaduni, left Mayar Toll Plaza yesterday to make its way to Hisar Kranti Mann Park with one objective in mind - to force Hisar officials to lift FIRs registered against farmers demonstrating last week on May 16 in the city. 

The Hisar administration prepared for its arrival with an Anti-Riot Rapid Action Force and state police from other districts, including Gurugram.  However, officials would eventually yield to pressure and agreed to cancel the FIRs, in what is a critical victory for the Farmers’ Protest. 

Farmers from Haryana’s neighbouring states, including Punjab and UP, had also arrived for the demonstration. The solidarity between Punjabi and Haryanvi farmers has been proven strong, as large convoys entered the state, including those led by BKU (Ugrahan)’s Joginder Singh, Balbir Singh Rajewal, and others. BKU (Ugrahan) had brought five buses of farmers from Delhi to Hisar to show support. 

Ranbir Singh was one of many that traveled a great distance to join the fight. He traveled 100 KM from Jind District only to take part in the protest, “We are farmers that’s why we came here to protest. All of us are against the government and will teach it a lesson.”

At the May 16 demonstration, police had arrested 88 farmers, however after negotiations at that time they were released with the promise of not being charged. The demonstration then ceased as a result, however, police would betray the farmers when they booked nearly 350 of them afterward. 

This led to widespread fear amongst Haryana’s farmers that they were seeing a repeat of the Jat reservation protests of 2016. Cases against young jat demonstrators are still pending in some cases. 

Tikait was received warmly by protestors yesterday, as his convoy arrived and he exited his car at Kranti Mann Park. He, alongside other farm leaders, made it clear that they would not turn back if the FIRs were not dropped. In fact, they threatened to march to Hisar’s Mini Secretariat to protest further. 

Haryana officials and intelligence officers were also present and attempted to individually approach farm leaders to call off the protest. It was at this moment that Chaduni announced over a speaker that farmer leaders would only meet as a group. 

Eventually, the officials relented, and agreed to cancel all FIRs, and also assure a job to the kin of Ram Chander, a 70-year old farmer who died on his way to the protest. His body was brought to the demonstration and a BKU (Chaduni) flag on his body. 

Farmers are not naive, and know the fight here in Hisar may continue.

“Cancellation of FIRs is a great step. We had come with this demand and it has been fulfilled,” Said 65-year-old Baru before going back to his village. He added that if the government refused to fulfill its decision they will come back to protest again. 

Share

Sandeep Singh hails from Machhiwara, Punjab. As an independent journalist, he has worked with many prominent Indian news organizations. Sandeep has been following the farmer’s protest in Punjab since its onset and traveled with them to Delhi. He spends most of his time at the Singhu border protest site. You can follow Sandeep on Twitter @Punyaab

Baaz is home to opinions, ideas, and original reporting for the Sikh and Punjabi diaspora. Support us by subscribing. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook at @BaazNewsOrg.  If you would like to submit a written piece for consideration please email us at editor@baaznews.org.