All roads lead to Khanauri for Kisan Mahapanchayat today as Jagjit Dallewal’s hunger strike enters 40th day

Talking to The Indian Express, Gurvinder Singh Deepu, a member of the youth wing of BKU Sidhupur, said, “From Rampura Phul block of Bathinda alone, 30 buses are on the way and if we count the entire district, the number must be over 100.” Deepu was on his way from Bathinda’s Mandi Kalan village. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Sidhupur is a constituent of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political).

“A bus has also gone from Balloh, the village in Bathinda from where Shubhkaran Singh hailed,” said Balraj Singh Baja, block president of BKU Sidhupur. Singh had succumbed to a fatal head injury suffered during the farmers’ Dilli Chalo protest in February last year.

From Jhurar Khera village of Abohar, a bus started at 6 am as chants of “We support Dallewal” rose through the dense fog. Villagers from Tarai Wala village of Moga were also seen leaving in upbeat spirits.

Dallewal has been on hunger strike since November 26 while farmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and SKM (non-political) have been protesting in Shambhu and Khanauri, on NH-44 and NH-52, of the Punjab-Haryana border.

Saturday’s Mahapanchayat is on NH-52, about 4 km from the border. “The stage has been set up at a location where all our trollies end towards the Punjab side. So the road leading to Khanauri towards the Punjab side is completely choked today. In addition to the existing blockade of about 4 km, an additional 4-5 km has been blocked.

Sukhwinder Kaur, general secretary of BKU Krantikari, said the gathering will be on the main road until Khanauri town.

“Saturday’s Mahapanchayat will be addressed by Dallewalji. He has to give a message to the farmers. He is fighting our battle, so the most we can do is reach the venue,” said Gunwant Singh Khosa, from the BKU’s Khosa unit, which is also a constituent of SKM (non-political).

Farmer leaders from states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Puducherry and Madhya Pradesh have already been arriving at the venue from January 2, and buses from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan joined them on Saturday morning.

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