Farmers’ daughters drive tractors on Ludhiana roads, garner assist

Lovely Boparai, 62, was the primary attraction within the tractor parade organised by residents of Ludhiana from South City to Ladhowal toll plaza, about 14 km, on Sunday. Wearing a black and white jacket, she was sitting behind the steering of the tractor whereas 4 youngsters carrying inexperienced turbans had been sitting on her sides, two every on each side.
“Although I know how to drive car and jeep, I had never driven a tractor before. I was driving it on the road for the first time, that too for a stretch of around 28 km. I was nervous. However, it went well,” stated Lovely, who lives in Sarabha Nagar space in Ludhiana. She has a farming background. Her husband owns about 35 acres of land at Noorpur Bet village of Ludhiana district.

Lovely was amongst many within the rally which was led by ladies whereas males adopted them. The theme of the rally was: Main kisan di beti haan, kisanan de naal haan (I’m a farmer’s daughter, I’m with farmers.)
She added, “I believe that these black laws should be taken back. Though the government has proposed to hold it for 18 months, I feel that we should not step back at this stage. Over 150 farmers have died during this struggle. Their sacrifice should not go waste.”
Kakul Gill, 47, her niece and her sister-in-law Ria Gill had been in a Gypsy. A former high quality arts lecturer at Khalsa College for Women (KCW), Kakul was instrumental in bringing ladies to Sunday’s tractor rally.
She stays on Barewal highway and belongs to a farmer’s household as her father has farm land at a Moga village. “I come from a farmer’s family and married into a farmer’s family. A farmer can never be separated from his land. I am a farmer’s daughter and I will always be with farmers. I will be going to Singhu border after January 26 along with my friends,” she stated. She had contacted many alumnae of KCW on social media and likewise contacted individuals from all walks of life to make the rally successful.
Preet Dhanoa, a businesswoman with roots in farming, was driving a tractor whereas her 13-year-old daughter was sitting together with Lovely Boparai. Among the others driving tractors had been Kulwant Kaur Seera, a painter, Pammi Jhajj, who’s accountable for Guru Nanak Khlasa College for Women, Model Town, and Nikku Gill, one other alumna of KCW, who’s an NRI and has been in Punjab for the previous one month. In her late 40s, Nikku runs a driving college in Vancouver. Therefore, she was under no circumstances nervous driving on Ludhiana roads.
Pollywood actress Ramneek Sandhu, who lives in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, too drove a tractor. “So many farmers have died. We did this rally to pay a tribute to them and pray that they must be given their rights. I feel that the laws should be repealed. Staying laws for a few months is not a permanent solution,” stated Ramneek, donning a inexperienced turban. She claimed that her grandparents had been into farming they usually nonetheless have farm land at Manak Majra village of Moga district of Punjab.
Rupinder Kaur Gill, 70, retired lecturer of historical past from KCW, Inderjeet Kaur Pannu, 70, retired lecturer from Khalsa School, and Raminder Gill, 65, a retired lecturer of economics from KCW, too had been a part of the rally. The trio had been travelling in a automobile and elevating slogans reminiscent of ‘no farmers, no food’.

The majority of individuals had farm land in villages, although they had been dwelling in city areas now. Many industrialists reminiscent of Ranjodh Singh, MD of GS Radiators, too took half within the rally.
“When a movement becomes a jan aandolan, everyone participates, no matter whether you are from cities or villages,” Ranjodh stated. Over 2,000 automobiles took half within the rally.