Despite imposing Internet shutdowns, cutting power and water supply, and installing nails, barbed wires, and concrete barricades — the tents at the farmers’ protests sites, are fast filling up again after Rakesh Tikait’s emotional speech.
With the government defending its stand on all fronts amid global criticism, especially on social media, it seems the battle is going to take a long time to end. Now, the farmers are all set for another show of strength with a three-hour nationwide shutdown on Saturday, February 6. Four farmers at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders tell The Morning Standard about gearing up for the nationwide Chakka Jam, despite the numerous hurdles.
Lovedeep Singh Goraya, Volunteer, Tent City, Singhu border
The government’s stand on the farm laws is still the same. But if they think that by disrupting Internet services they can weaken the farmers’ agitation, then they are wrong. My maternal uncle lives here, so I have come to Delhi to post some videos and photos on social media because there is no net on the border. I have the video of Navreet Singh after he got shot. I was trying to put it on Instagram but I got a message from them saying my account will be deactivated if I post such videos.
Even my Facebook account has been deactivated, so I will disseminate it through WhatsApp now. But it is said that the media is not showing the reality. After the lathi charge, the atmosphere was a little tense. People had even started saying that Haryana is not with the farmers’ agitation, but that is not true. People are coming in huge numbers from Haryana. Another problem is that our people went missing. A total of 18 boys coming from Jalandhar had got down at the Delhi railway station yesterday, but we have no clue where they are and even their numbers are switched off.
We think police have taken them, because they had earlier put our boys in Tihar jail for no reason. A girl named Simran staying in the tent city has been in police remand, though there is no case against her. Half of our tent city was empty because most people went back on the 27th. Now, no one is allowed to go outside alone, and those going out in the dark have to carry a stick. But our langars are still open for the army and the police deployed here. People from outside India like Rihanna have come out in our support even when they have nothing to do with us, but we have got no support from Indian celebrities. About Diljit Dosanjh’s song for Rihanna...that was a fast response!
Amarpreet Singh, Asia Pacific, Director, Khalsa Aid, India
For two-three days, the scene at the border was very depressing. People were sad that despite their efforts things were getting worse. The capacity of our shelter at Singhu border is 700, and it’s always full. But on the nights of 27th and 28th, we only had 100 people. But after Rakesh Tikait’s emotional speech, the movement was revived.
People have started coming back and our shelter is full. Even when I went to Punjab for two days, I saw at least 200 trolleys coming to Delhi. The Internet here is shut, but Khalsa Aid’s Wi-Fi is still working because we are using a local network. Our work is still going on, we are focusing on setting up more RO plants on the border because the requirement for water is increasing as the days have become hotter.
Ruldu Singh, Punjab Kisan Union State President
We don’t know what’s happening in the country because the Internet has been shutdown. People had gone back after the R-Day, but are returning, and again we have a huge crowd at Tikri border. We have assigned duties to the panchayats, like sending 20 people per week. But all panchayats are adamant to send 60 people and are doing so.
I don’t know about the people from outside India supporting us, but if anybody is saying something for us or making any songs, we are very thankful to them. It gives us confidence. On February 6, we shut the national and state highways, toll plazas and petrol pumps, between 12:00pm to 3:00pm. We won’t go anywhere, but the people supporting us will shut their shops, and block the highways in their areas.
Rajan Jawla, LLB student and youth farmer leader, Shamli, UP
Before January 26, it was agitation 1.0 and after January 28, it is agitation 2.0. After R-Day, we had just 400 people left on the border. Whatever happened on the 26th was done by organisations that wanted to defame the farmers. They should have barricaded the road leading towards Akshardham on the 26th, as whatever happened could have been prevented. However, now every day 3,000-4,000 people come here and go back in the evening.
We have to go towards Kaushambi to use the Internet. The local BJP MLAs had stopped the Nagar Nigam tankers from Ghaziabad. Now, we get water in canters from the nearby villages. Even the power supply was cut, but after these panchayats started happening, it led to some pressure on them and they resumed the supply. I am happy that people from abroad are coming out in our support, but our own countrymen are indulging in dirty politics. For example, Kangana Ranaut doesn’t know anything and is commenting on the issue, creating political propaganda.