Ludhiana artist showcases farmers’ protest in 18-ft long painting

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Sonepat, January 12

A specially-abled artist from Ludhiana has made his own identity in the farmers’ protest by making an 18ft long painting at Singhu border, in which he has tried to showcase all episodes of the agitation.

As the farmers’ protest against the three farm laws continued on 48th day on Tuesday, Praveen Kumar, an artist from Ludhiana told The Tribune that he also wanted to become a part of the agitation and reached Singhu border on Sunday night.

“Our people are staging a protest here for the past 45 days,” said Praveen. It was his wish that there must be some contribution of the painters’ fraternity in the farmers’ protest as they were fighting for the rights of the common people too, he asserted.

“I have started the painting 15 days ago but some work was kept pending so that I can complete it at the Singhu border,” said the artist who has come here on his special vehicle.

“I have shown the protest episode-wise in my painting,” he said.

“In the first scene, I painted the farmers sitting on a railway track in Punjab and after that they came on the road, which is the second scene,” he said.

“I have also shown how the farmers entered Haryana and how the government tried to stop them by using water cannons, by digging roads, etc.,” he added.

The artist has also used some symbols in the painting and painted a snake with a lizard in its mouth to show the condition of the Union government, which, he claimed, was not able to take a decision over repeal of three farm laws.

“I appealed to the government to fulfil the demands of the farmers as soon as possible so that they can go to their homes happily,” he said.

Besides farmers, hundreds of protesters, including women along with their children, have also reached the Singhu border.

Gurbachan Singh (76) from Amritsar said they reached the Singhu border on November 26 last year and their only demand is the repeal of three black laws.

“We will not step back till the Union government does not repeal these laws. We are ready to stay here till their last breath,” said Gurnam Singh of Moga.