Sukhdeep Kaur, 17, sitting on a cot in her two-room home, says not a single day goes by when she would not consider her father Dhanna Singh. The 45-year-old died in a street accident within the early hours of November 27, 2020, when he was on his method to the Singhu border to protest in opposition to three agricultural legal guidelines, making him one of many early casualties of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ morcha, When a whole lot of farmers from Punjab and Haryana marched in direction of the capital.
Now, with the repeal of agricultural legal guidelines, Sukhdeep says she misses her father dearly, however that is “not the time for tears. Crying makes you weak. This is an enormous victory for the farmers which has been made attainable as a result of sacrifices of many individuals together with my father.
That day, Dhanna Singh, together with 28-year-old Baljinder Singh and another villagers, had been on their method to Delhi from their village Khiyali Chehlan Wali in Mansa district when a truck rammed their tractor trolley from behind. Dhanna got here below the tire of the tractor whereas Baljinder’s left hand acquired crushed. The 38-year-old driver, Gora Singh, sustained minor accidents.
Baljinder recollects, “After the accident, his household acquired monetary assist, however no cash can fill the void they’re feeling. His kids preserve saying that I want their father had suffered the identical accidents as me. At least it could have been with him now.”
Baljinder says that he’s nonetheless present process remedy at PGI, Chandigarh for the injured hand.
Dhanna Singh was the village granthi and secretary of the village unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Dakonda faction. His spouse Manjeet Kaur, 40, says, “He used to inspire people to be a part of the Delhi Chalo Morcha. We sent him to Delhi with great hope. Instead, it was his body that came back. Though my husband died long before he reached Delhi, my children and I have gone to Singhu and Tikri several times,” stated Kaur.
His 14-year-old son Harvinder Singh says, “I too often go on dharnas in Mansa.”
After Dhanna Singh’s demise, the Punjab authorities gave Kaur a job on compassionate grounds – as a peon in a authorities senior secondary college the place Harvinder is in school 8.
With Kaur getting a month-to-month wage of Rs 18,000, the household determined to present their 2.5 acres of agricultural land on contract to Dhanna’s youthful brother. Kaur was additionally given a compensation of Rs 5 lakh by the Punjab authorities, Rs 4 lakh by the Haryana authorities and Rs 1 lakh by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). There was some assist from NRIs as effectively.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the repeal of agricultural legal guidelines, Kaur says her husband’s soul will relaxation in peace. “I’m glad the announcement came on Babaji’s (Guru Nanak) birthday,” she says, as her kids vehemently interrupt: “We will fight until the law is actually withdrawn.”
Kaur shook her head. “Yes, we are protesting from day one of the ordinances. I wish PM had understood the sentiments of farmers… so many precious lives could have been saved,” she says, including, “Zindagi taan jenni hai… bachche kuch vadda kar jaan (Anyway, that is life to be lived. I hope the children do effectively) “
,
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
