The Republic Day to witness heavy deployment in northern states of Punjab and Haryana with the farmers planning a massive tractor march to pressurize the government for their pending demands.
As per the farmers from noon to 3 pm, over 100,000 tractors will take to the roads across more than 200 locations in Punjab. Similarly, the farmer leaders claimed that thousands of farmers in Haryana will also participate in the tractor march.
In Punjab, the ‘tractor marches’ will be coordinated at the tehsil level, where tractors from various villages will converge at designated points within each tehsil before returning home. The farmers leaders have prepared a detailed action plan under which the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders to monitor the tractor march and peaceful protest will involve around 100 tehsils with at least 250 tractors each.
A similar demonstration was also planned in Haryana as the farmer leaders were planning to take this agitation in BJP ruled Haryana to showcase anger of farming community over the common demands.
In Haryana, farmers will protest at over 50 toll plazas, outside BJP leaders’ offices and homes, corporate silos, and malls. Surjeet Singh Phool from Bhartiya Kisan Union-Krantikari mentioned that duties have been assigned to ensure a peaceful protest, with over 65,000 tractors expected to participate.
The core demand from farmers at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders is a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), while the SKM is also opposing the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, fearing it might reintroduce elements of the controversial farm laws. Additional marches are planned towards Shambhu border on January 29 and 30 to bolster numbers at the protest sites. On the other hand Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s health has shown gradual improvement, according to a medical bulletin released by doctors. Dallewal, speaking from the protest site, attributed the success of the farmers’ movement thus far to the blessings of God and the Sikh Gurus, expressing hope that with their continued divine support, the protest would reach its goal.
He stated that his personal contribution was minimal, crediting any positive change in government policy to divine intervention. He urged all farmers to join in prayer for the movement’s strength and his health on January 30. In addition to the spiritual activities, there’s a strategic push for a nationwide show of solidarity. He said that on Republic Day fom 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM, as part of the program announced by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, thousands of tractors are expected to be on roads across the country.