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On 21 November, around thirty farmer’s organisations of Punjab allowed the Indian Railways to run its passenger trains in the state, apart from its goods trains, but preparations for a march to Delhi (“Dilli Cooch”) on 26-27 November are on in full swing. Every single section of Punjab is standing with farmers in the ongoing protests against the Centre’s new farm policies. People are offering donations, food supplies such as flour and pulses etc. to farmers as they head for their demonstration in the Capital tonight.
Farm leaders say they they have collected enough ration and supplies for six months, because they do not know how long their movement will last in Delhi. They hope that their campaign on Delhi will be successful and the anti-farmer laws will be withdrawn. The Delhi Police and administration have not allowed the farmers’ protest. In neighbouring Haryana, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced strict bans on movement between the Punjab-Haryana and Delhi-Haryana borders and other clamp-downs. But the farmers of Punjab are tough! Women, youth and children are taking part in their “Delhi Cooch” and plan to reach the Capital’s border.
The message has been spread by peasant women, who have been marching door-to-door through villages under the flag of farmer unions, to build up a large and united front for their march. They are mobilising people, shouting slogans against the farming laws and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government. Farm leaders Charanjit Kaur, Amarjeet Kaur and Malkit Kaur say women are not lagging behind in this struggle at all. They have been on the streets of Punjab, attending and organising sit-ins, for more than one and a half months. Yet the central government did not hear their cries.