Highlights:
- On January 26, the tractor parade by agitating farmers will feature tableaux depicting themes related to the agitation against the new agricultural laws
- The farmer leader said that tractors in lakhs are expected to join the tractor parade on R-Day from different parts of the country
- In order to let farmers peacefully protest into the national capital, the Delhi Police decided to remove the barricades at Singhu and Tikri
According to the organizers, the tractor parade scheduled for the Republic Day by the by agitated farmers will feature a variety of tableaux from across states depicting village life, the protest against the controversial farm laws of the Centre, and hailing their bravery.
A farmer’s leader told PTI (Press Trust of India) that instructions to prepare tableaux for the parade were issued to all organizations involved in the protest.
The farmer’s leader also said, “Around one lakh tractor trolleys from across the nation will participate in the parade. Around 30% of these will have tableaux on different subjects, including the history of the farmers’ movement in India, the role of women farmers and farming practices in various states.”
A painting about the suicides of farmers was also planned by a few children from the Vidarbha area of Maharashtra.
A Swaraj India member said, “Children of farmers who committed suicide are expected to participate in the parade. Their tableau will show the difficulties faced by farmers in the area facing water scarcity.”
Tables from states such as Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand will show how the hilly regions grow fruits and vegetables.
Traditional and modern farming technologies and statues of women milking cows and farmers driving bullock carts will be displayed by participants from Punjab and Haryana.
Each tractor is going to bring a tricolour, and folk music and patriotic songs will also be there.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) which is a joint front of the agitating farmers’ unions, said the parade is likely to commence at five Delhi border crossings— Tikri, Ghazipur, Singhu, Shahjahanpur and Palwal, where agitating farmers have been camping since 28 November last year.
The tractor parade will begin and cover a distance of more than 100 kilometers after the official Republic Day parade concludes at Rajpath, before culminating around 6 pm, he said.
At each protest venue, a war room has been set up to ensure effective coordination during the tractor parade on R-Day. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) member said 40 members would be in each of these rooms, including doctors, security personnel and social media managers.
To take care of any medical emergency, about 40 ambulances will be stationed along the path.
Another farmer leader had said, close to 2,500 volunteers have already been mobilized to make sure that the parade remains peaceful and that no untoward incident occurs.
The volunteers will wear badges and identification cards.
Farmer leaders said that only five people are permitted on a tractor and there is a strict vigil to thwart any criminal activity.
The security situation will also be monitored by a team of ex-servicemen involved in the demonstration.
In the event of need, a team of mechanics has also been organized to carry out any repair work.
All participants were asked by farmers’ leaders to carry jackets and blankets to cover themselves against the cold.
One of the leaders telling the details of the parade said, “Everyone has to return to the starting point after the parade.”
The Delhi Police has decided to remove the barricades at Singhu and Tikri in order to let farmers into the National Capital.
Farmers’ leaders said the tractor parade would remain peaceful and would not in any way impact the official Republic Day parade.
The Centre envisaged the three farm laws, implemented last September, as major reforms in the agricultural sector that would remove intermediaries and enable farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the world.
The protesting farmers, however, have expressed their apprehension that the new laws would pave the way to remove the minimum support price safety cushion and eliminate the ‘mandi’ (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the hands of big corporate giants.
