Punjab farmers at Singhu border pray, light diyas on Guru Nanak Jayanti

New Delhi, November 30

Thousands of farmers from Punjab agitating at Singhu borders of New Delhi offered prayers, lit ‘diyas’ (earthen lamps), exchanged sweets as well as greeted each other on Guru Nanak Jayanti on Monday as they took a pledge to continue their fight against the Centre’s new agri laws.

Many among the thousands of farmers said for them, Guru Nanak Jayanti meant facing difficulties together and staying positive even during the toughest times.

Gurpal Singh (25), who has come all the way from Patiala along with his 85-year-old grandfather, Ajaib Singh, was among the thousands of others who have stayed put at the Delhi-Haryana border for the fifth consecutive day here to protest the farm laws.

He said Guru Nanak Jayanti was of the biggest festival for Sikhs and but even staying away from their homes on this day had not deterred their spirits.

“This is the biggest festival for Sikhs. In the morning, prayers were held. We lit candles in the evening and greeted each other,” he said.

Thousands of farmers continued to protest at the Delhi-Haryana border even as the police enhanced security measures at the border points of the national capital.

The farmers started their day remembering Guru Nanak Dev and greeted each other on this occasion.

Jaspreet Singh, a student of Panjab University in Patiala, said this was the first time he was away from his home.

“We pray for the well being of everyone. People who have come here from Punjab will light ‘diyas’ on their tractors and road. We are obviously missing our family. I spoke to my family in the morning to greet them,” he said.

For 56-year-old Jasmer Singh, who has come here from Mohali in Punjab, Guru Nanak Jayanti meant facing difficulties together and staying positive even during the toughest times.

“In the morning, we prepared ‘kheer’ and distributed it to everyone. We also made ‘parathas’ and ‘daal’. We are on the road, but Punjabis are those people who manage to be happy and celebrate even in the difficult situations,” he said.

The Singhu border was lit up with ‘diyas’ and candles and ‘kirtans’ were sung as farmers pledged to continue their fight against the new farm laws.

Romanpreet Singh (24), a resident of Patiala in Punjab said “Jatha has come from Delhi who are performing ‘ardas’ and ‘paath’. In the morning, they performed ‘akhand kirtan’, following which ‘kada parshad’ was distributed among the protesters and police personnel. Kirtans were also performed in the evening and sweets were distributed.” PTI