Farmers hold tractor march in Ambala City

Members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) held a tractor march in Ambala City on Monday in support of agitating farmers at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders.

The farmers gathered at the Ambala City grain market, raised slogans against the Centre and Haryana Government and held a tractor march.

After covering various locations, including Agrasen Chowk, Kalka Chowk and Jandli flyover, the march ended at the grain market. The union members also burned the effigy of the BJP government to mark their resentment.

BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) district president Gurmeet Singh said, “Following the call given by the farmer unions, a tractor march was held in Ambala City. There were nearly 150 tractors in the march. The prime objective behind organising the march is to motivate farmers and labourers to participate in the agitation, and also mark our resentment against the Centre and state governments. Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a fast unto-death and if anything goes wrong with him, big agitations will be held across the country and the farmers will gherao Delhi.”

“We also appeal to the traders and shopkeepers to participate in the agitation because some corporate houses have been running the country. Inflation is on the rise and the government has failed to give any respite to the poor people. The ongoing agitation should not be treated as a farmers’ agitation only and all sections of society should make contribution in the agitation at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. So far, the farmers have been holding a peaceful protest and we want to go to Delhi peacefully, but the government has been using force. The government should accept the demands being raised by the farmers else it will face a nationwide protest next year.”

BKU (SBS) spokesman Tejveer Singh said, “Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has been saying that only Punjab farmers are participating in the agitation and there are no Haryana farmers, so we wanted to give him a message that the farmers of Haryana are also actively participating in the protest. We have burnt the effigy of the BJP government for not fulfilling its promises and not accepting the demands. The BJP leaders have been running away from holding a dialogue with the farmers.”

“The sugarcane farmers from the Chief Minister’s home constituency, Naraingarh, are struggling to get their dues cleared from the Naraingarh sugar mills. The tractor march was organised as per the call given by the unions and in Punjab there will be a ‘rail roko’ agitation from 12 noon to 3 pm on December 18 and we appeal to the passengers to avoid travelling in trains during this period to avoid inconvenience. The agitation is getting bigger and we will intensify the protest in the coming days,” he added.