Farmers’ leaders issue guidelines for R-Day tractor parade

New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) After getting the permission to organise a tractor rally in Delhi on Republic Day, the farmers’ union has issued guidelines so that the parade is carried out in a peaceful manner.
The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said: “We are going to create history. Till date, such a parade has never been carried in the country on Republic Day. We have to keep in mind that this historic parade doesn’t gets maligned. The peaceful parade will mark our victory. We have to remember that we are not going to conquer Delhi, rather we are going to win the hearts of the people of the country.”
More than 30 social organisations of Gurugram will join farmers’ tractor parade on the occasion of Republic Day in the city. The support to the farmers will continue till the Centre doesn’t repeals the three farm laws.
The SKM clarified that tractors and other vehicles will be included in the parade but all trolleys will not be part of the parade. Some trolleys with special tableaux will figure and safety arrangements will be made for them.
The farmers’ union also instructed the farmers to keep ration for at least 24 hours and items for cold in case tractors get stuck in traffic. It also appealed the farmers not to carry any political party’s flag, but the national flag along with the flag of the farmers’ unions.
The farmers have been clearly told by the SKM not to carry any kind of weapon and not to use any provocative slogans.
The SKM said that the parade will be led by the vehicles of the farmers’ leaders and everybody has to follow the instructions of the traffic volunteers, who will be deployed at every junction.
“The route of the parade has been decided. Police and traffic volunteers will guide the farmers. Action will be taken against the vehicles which will try to violate the route,” the SKM said.
If any vehicle tries to block the road without any reason, the volunteers will remove the blockade, it said. All the vehicles will return after completing the parade.
“Only five people including the driver will be allowed on a tractor. No one will be allowed to sit on the bonnet, bumper or roof of the tractor. All the tractors will be driving in a line. No one will race with each other and no one will be allowed to go ahead of the vehicles of the farmers’ leaders,” the SKM said in the guidelines.
Apart from this, the drivers won’t be allowed to play music in the tractors so that it will make easy for others to listen to the instructions during the parade. The SKM also said that no one will be allowed to consume any intoxicants and if someone is found doing so, the traffic volunteers should be informed immediately.
The farmers’ leaders said: “We have to grace the Republic Day, win the hearts of the public. Everyone should take care that women are being treated respectfully. The police will be on its duty so no one should fight with them. Apart from this, there should be no misbehaviour with the media, irrespective of the channel and garbage should not be thrown on the roads and rather everyone should carry a separate bag for it.”
The SKM also said that they have done all the preparations for any emergency so nobody should worry about anything.
“Ambulances have been arranged and arrangements with the hospitals have also been made so in case of medical emergency, farmers can call on the helpline number or tell the nearest volunteer,” it said.
“The farmers can also contact the volunteers in case their vehicle or tractor breaks down. The helpline number will be open 24 hours,” the SKM added.
Meanwhile, about 25,000 farmers from across Karnataka would lead a protest rally on Tuesday to Bengaluru from Nelamangla on the city’s outskirts in support of their counterparts’ tractor rally to New Delhi against the three farmers’ laws, said state’s farmers leader K. Chandrashekar on Sunday.
Also, over 15,000 farmers started a ‘vehicle-march’ comprising trucks, tempos, autos and other vehicles from Nashik to Mumbai to join the agitation programmes opposing the three new farm laws, scheduled in the country’s commercial capital over the next three days, top leaders said here.

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