New Delhi: The farmers agitating at Delhi’s borders on Wednesday burnt copies of the three controversial farm laws and tried to create a festival mood with bonfires to mark the Lohri festival, which is celebrated with much fervour in North India. However, the festivities were marked with a tinge of sadness since the families were not there to join the protestors in heralding the harvesting season.
Those arriving from Punjab distributed roasted corn from the new harvest they had brought along; the squatters lit bonfires at various agitation sites to say goodbye to the harsh winter and celebrated by eating kheer, jaggery and gajak made from the January sugarcane crop.
Lohri is celebrated a night before the Makar Sankranti, which is a festival of harvest across the country, though known by different names. It's Makar Sankranti in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and West Bengal, Pongal in Tamil Nadu and Bihu in Assam.
Farmers at the Singhu border said they missed the celebrations with their families but would continue to protest at Delhi's borders because they were doing so for posterity.
Some wondered if they ought to take the drastic decision of not sowing the new crop in June, if the government remains adamant.
They said they burnt copies of the farm laws to vent their anger towards the unjust behaviour of the government. They said their leaders had clearly opposed the Supreme Court's order to form a panel as they want nothing less than a rollback of the farm laws.
The Kisan Ekta Morcha said the agitation will continue with a peaceful demonstration on the Republic Day, the contours of which will be announced a day after the scheduled government-farmer talks on Friday.
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