Farmers recall year-long struggle before leaving Tikri border

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Jhajjar, December 11

Before their departure from Tikri, farmers from Punjab celebrated their victory on Friday night with full enthusiasm and zeal by dancing, singing patriotic songs and distributing sweets.

They retired late at night and woke up early in the morning and packed their bags to go back home. Many of them could not sleep and spent the night by refreshing memories of the protest.

“We made last night at the Tikri border memorable by doing whatever we could to express our happiness and joy after our victory in the year-long struggle. We spent sleepless night by sharing good and bad memories besides talking about the protest from beginning to end. This morning, we dismantled our makeshift abode and loaded all belongings on our tractor-trailers. We are now ready for the victory procession that is to start from Tikri and will culminate at our village,” said Jaspreet Singh Balian of Sangrur district.

Hakam Singh, another farmer, said that on Friday they called on locals to express their gratitude for supporting and motivating them during the past one year. “We have decorated our tractors with flowers and flags. Local people in a considerable number also came to meet us on Saturday morning to extend their best wishes,” he added.

Around one third farmers have returned home during the past two days. They started leaving for home after the Samyukt Kisan Morcha announced to call off the stir on Thursday morning. Majority of those who have already left were from distant places like Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur.

Soon after farmers leave, JCB machines start removing barricades at Tikri

Soon after the protesting farmers left for home, the process to open the Tikri-Bahadurgarh border was started to provide passage to the commuters on the National Highway-9 (Rohtak to Delhi). JCB machines were pressed into service to remove the concrete barricades to open the border.

The highway was closed by Delhi police around a year ago by putting multi-layered barricading at the border. Even, spikes were also placed after the violence during the tractor parade on January 26.

“Three to four JCB machines were called in the morning after Punjab farmers left for home. Since concrete barricading is multilayered the work is still under way to remove the boulders and concrete wall from the highway,” said Darshan Singh, manager at a petrol pump on the border.