This Is How Protesting Farmers Celebrated The Festival Of Holi At Delhi Borders

With nearly four months since the farmers have been protesting against the Union farm laws at various borders of the national capital, farmers celebrated the festival of Holi and Hola Mohalla with much fervour at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders of the national capital.

Danced on the beats of dhol

Early visuals from the protest site, where hundreds of farmers are camping and demanding the rollback of the three laws since November last year, showed farmers dancing to the beats of dhol. Some were also seen smeared in colours. They celebrated the festival with cultural programmes and a drama ¡®Uthan Da Vela¡¯ by Lok Kala Manch Mandi Mullampur.

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Additionally, Nihangs (Sikh warriors) could be seen riding horses as they performed 'gatka' as a part of Hola Mohalla. Hola Mohalla is a festival of Nihangs, during Holi celebrations which normally falls in March and takes place on the second day of the lunar month of Chett. It is a three-day big festive event for Sikhs around the world.

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The fair held during Holi and Hola at Anandpur Sahib is traditionally a three-day event but participants attend Anandpur Sahib for a week, camping out and enjoying various displays of fighting prowess and bravery, and listening to kirtan, music and poetry.

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Farmers unfazed, demand repulsion

The protesting farmers maintained that their agitation will continue till the farm laws are repealed and a separate law on minimum support price is enacted. "We demand that the government should accept our demand and take back the three farm laws so that we can go home," a farmer told news agency ANI.

Advocate Joginder Singh Toor has also launched a book titled ¡°In Kanuno Me Kala Kya¡±, which explains the agri laws in a detailed manner.

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Burnt copies of farm laws

A day before Holi, farmers burnt copies of the three contentious central farm laws at many places in Punjab on Sunday on the occasion of Holika Dahan, when bonfires are lit on Holi eve symbolising the victory of good over evil. This was done on the call of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers unions spearheading the agitation against the farm laws.

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The farmers, hailing from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points, including Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur, since November 28 last year, demanding a complete repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops. The Centre has denied allegations that it was trying to put an end to MSP and the mandi systems.