Highway is the new home for farmers

Tents pitched on tractors, people busy chopping vegetables to get food rey, solar panels to charge mobile phones, medical camps and even hookahs -- once a thoroughfare teeming with traffic, Delhi's Tikri border resembles a 'pind' (vill) w.

Living in this vill are farmers who have come largely from neighbouring Punjab to demand a repeal of Centre's three agriculture reform laws.

"This is going to be our home in near future as it is going to be a long fight. We are here to stay," says 50-year-old Gurunam Singh who came from Punjab's Mansa district.

"We have plenty of everything here. We have eugh provisions for at least six months," he said.

Since y landed at Delhi gateway nine days ago, se farmers have been preparing 'langar' every day to feed over 5,000 people, including locals and those who visit protest site.

Doctors have set up medical camps to tend to farmers who have been braving winter chill to keep ir protest going. threat of coronavirus also looms in a place where few wear face masks or maintain social distancing.

However, this doesn't deter protesters.

Gurunam, who set out from home on vember 26, complained of chest pain soon after he arrived at Tikri border and was referred to Ram Mahar Lohia Hospital here.

After he was discharged from hospital, he chose to stay back with or protesters.

"We are from Punjab, we spre love wherever we go. Neir coronavirus r winter can stop us from fighting our battle," said Gurunam.

Resting on his tractor, Ram Singh, also from Mansa, said he and his elderly uncle won't go back until farm laws are repealed.

Ram said y have full support from ir vill and at least one person from each family has joined protest here.

Over 500 tractors are lined up along ro, one after or. Many have posters tied on with messs like " farmer, food, GDP, future".

se posters are me by a group of farmers, mostly youngsters.

Honey, a second-year BA student who discontinued his online classes to join protest, is busy making one such poster. It res: "We are farmers, t terrorists".

"I am a farmer's son. If today I don't fight for farming community's rights, what is point of such an education?" he asks.

Some good samaritans have set up solar panels at protest site so that farmers can charge ir mobile phones, while many local groups are providing things like water, soap, dry fruits and mosquito repellents.

Temporary toilets have also been set up at Tikri border.

Ackwledging support, farmers said people have t just opened ir doors to m but also ir hearts.

Sandeep Sharma, who runs a small workshop in area, has laid out pipes to ensure farmers have eugh water for daily chores like bathing and washing clos.

"se farmers are our guests. y are our backbone," Sharma said.

"y produce food for us. We would consider ourselves fortunate if we are able to help m today," he said.

"Within a week, we have developed a close relationship with m. When y have breakfast or lunch, y insist we join m," he ded.

Krishnan, who supplies medical oxygen, has extended an electricity connection via his shop to farmers for charging ir mobile phones.

Enacted in September, three farm laws are anticipated to bring "reforms" in agriculture sector by removing middlemen and allowing farmers to sell ir products anywhere in country.

Farmers worry se laws will eliminate safety net of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and do away with mandis that ensure earning. But government says MSP system will continue and new laws will give farmers more options to sell ir crop.

farmers, who will hold fourth round of talks with government later on Saturday, have called for a 'Bharat Bandh' on December 8 and threatened to occupy toll plazas. 

(Im: PTI)