After over a year of braving extreme weather, the Covid-19 pandemic and living in tents on highways, farmers' unions have decided to honour locals who helped farmers during their protest at Delhi's Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders.
Farmers' leaders said locals offered "immense help" to the protesters in different ways such as providing electricity and water connections from their homes.
They said now it is time for them to show their gratitude towards such people and honour them. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which spearheaded the farmers' protest, on Thursday decided to suspend the long-drawn agitation after the government agreed to consider all its other demands, days after the repeal of the three contentious farm laws.
The SKM leaders announced that the stir will be suspended and the farmers would go back home in a victory march on December 11. Farmer leader and a member of the SKM's empowered committee, Shiv Kumar Kakka said the SKM will honour those locals who helped farmers selflessly during the course of the agitation and strengthened the movement.
"We have formed a committee to make a list of such locals so that we can honour them. Before going home, a ceremony will be held at the Singhu border tomorrow to honour them. We will garland them and present shawls and sweets," Kakka told PTI.
Kakka said that some local residents and traders became good friends with farmers and their bond will remain intact.
He said the SKM used to hold all its important meetings at the Kajaria Tiles showroom at the Singhu border. The shop owner gave the entire space to farmers.
"So we all became good friends. We can never forget this gesture," he added.
Kakka said locals helped the agitating farmers in many ways such as providing water, electricity, shelter, places for holding meetings, tents and food etc.
"So we have decided to thank and honour them. A similar ceremony is also likely to be held at other border points of Delhi," he said.