Copies of farm laws thrown into bonfires.
Lalit Mittal, a professor of chemistry at DAV College, Mansa, was excited to celebrate the first Lohri of his son Anchit. However, the farmers’ movement has taken centre-stage. The Mittals started their celebrations by burning copies of the farm laws in the bonfire.
His wife Anchal, who is a lecturer of Punjabi at the Krishna College of Mansa, said, “We support farmers and hence we supported their call to burn copies of farm laws on Lohri.” Lalit added, “I have been closely watching the struggle. I always express my opinions openly on my social media page after every round of talks with the government. I feel that laws must be repealed so that farmers can come back home at the earliest.”
He added, “I had even contributed for the farmers protesting at the toll plaza on Mansa-Patiala road. I along with a few friends will be visiting the Singhu border next week. Hence, this Lohri had to be dedicated to the farmers’ cause because I believe that if we eat today, we need to thank a farmer. So supporting them at this time is a must.”
Meanwhile, Ranjodh Singh Lambi, a farmer from Lambi village of Muktsar district, celebrated his first Lohri with daughter Khushdeep Kaur on Wednesday burning copies of the farm laws. Ranjodh is also an Akali Dal leader. He said, “Last year, my daughter was only 12 days old, hence this year we are celebrating her Lohri but this Lohri is dedicated to our farmers. We also had a combined programme of Lambi village where villagers collectively burnt copies of farm laws.”
Jagdeep Singh, who got married on January 9 in Barnala’s Thikriwala village, was away with his wife Kamalpreet Kaur on vacation, but his family dedicated their Lohri to the farmers’ struggle and burnt copies of the laws in a bonfire. In fact, before heading to his wedding, Jagdeep and his wedding procession of around 50 persons had first stopped at a farmers dharna, raised slogans, donated Rs 11,000 to protesting farmers and then headed to the venue.
As was the case with Baljinder Singh and his family in Bhalwan village of Sangrur village. Baljinder got married on December 6. The wedding procession had raised slogans in favour of farmers, boliyan were also sung in support of farmers in the wedding while guests were wearing badges of BKU Dakaunda apart from the cars having flags of the union. Baljinder’s family too burnt copies of farm laws. Satnam Singh, his brother, who is at Singhu border, said, “After getting married, Baljinder again went to the Singhu border for 3-4 days. Now I have come. Lohri was not a grand function at home. It was a simple programme where family members did not forget to burn copies of farm laws.”
Meanwhile, a call was given by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha to burn copies of farm laws in Lohri function as a mark of protest. The same was done in almost every village of Punjab. The laws were burnt at more than 100 protests at toll plazas, petrol pumps, outside malls of corporate houses, parking of railway stations etc.
“Our wedding functions, festivals, everything has a shadow of farmers’ movement. It is a public movement now,” said Narian Dutt, social activist from Barnala.
Similar functions happened at Delhi and Tikri borders as well. In Mansa, the Bar Association of district courts also observed Lohri by burning copies of farm laws, as did the protesting Unemployed Teachers Association in Sangrur.
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