Indian farmers stage tractor march |
The morning of 7th January became a show of strength for the protesting farmers` unions in India as a day before the eighth round of talks between the government and farm unions, thousands of farmers took to the eastern and western peripheral expressways in their tractors. Despite a foggy, cold morning, farmers left the Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur protest sites as scheduled. At Singhu, vehicles began leaving at 9 a.m. and headed towards Tikri via the expressway, which soon turned into a sea of tractor trolleys and barricades. At police checkpoints, the few commuters were advised to take different routes. Soon, Punjabi songs and slogans against the govt were aired as several farmers stood atop their vehicles and waved the tricolor. Within half an hour, the roads were packed and farmers stopped near the western periphery due to traffic. According to the farmer organizations, over 5,000 tractors joined the march from Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur, and Palwal. The march was all about planning and coordination as farmers joined in parts of Ghaziabad, Noida, Hapur, and Bulandshahr. Many volunteers ensured that the traffic was under control. Later, a few farmers from the Singhu and Tikri borders met on the expressway. Due to traffic and high barricading, most tractors couldn`t pass, and farmers returned after an hour.
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