CHANDIGARH: If you see someone honking at a traffic intersection, don’t mistake him for asking you the way. That’s the latest way of expressing one’s support for farmers. You’d also hear slogans such as, “we are not terrorists but farmers”. That’s how roads look during morning and evening rush hours in various towns of Punjab and Haryana. Days after the widely-condemned Red Fort violence, there is no visible dip in public enthusiasm and support for the farmers protesting at Delhi’s borders.
In Chandigarh and Mohali, youngsters have made it a routine to stand at various crossroads for three hours in the day (11.30 am to 2.30 pm) and twoand- a-half hours in the evening (6 to 8.30 pm) with placards ‘No farmer no food,’ ‘Farmers: We feed the world’ amid farmer union flags and the national flag. They urge motorists to honk in support of agitation. “Today we are on a hunger strike in support of farmers.
We have already visited Singhu and Tikri borders thrice. We’ll go there again on Tuesday. The people know that the January 26 incident was sponsored by the government,” says Manjit Singh of Sector 70 Mohali. Activist Narinder Sing Kang says a WhatsApp group, ‘Delli Chao’, has been formed where messages on the protest are shared. “We have been to the protest sites half-a-dozen times. After the Republic Day episode, more and more people are joining the group,” he said.
There are emotional reactions. Amrit Singh, a Mohali businessman plans to join the Singhu border protest again. Harinderpreet Singh, who is doing his graduation, says: “Rakesh Tikait’s tears are worth more than anything else. Everybody is with farmers.’’ “The government is refusing to accept the ground reality and wants to term the farmers Khalistanis. It eventually wants to shut down the Food Corporation of India and give everything to a select group of corporates,’’ said Bobby Kamboj, a property dealer.