Skip to main content
Sabrang
Sabrang
Farm and Forest

Farmers celebrate Lohri, burn copies of Farm Acts into ashes in the bonfire

Prayers were said for those who had lost their lives in the protests, the Lohri bonfire was fed with the copies of the contentious Law 

Karuna John 13 Jan 2021

Farmers protestImage: Karuna John


At the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border of Ghazipur, thousands of farmers were joined and cheered on by many residents of nearby areas, as they consigned copies of the three farm Acts to flames. The farmers and their friends were celebrating Lohri on January 13, one of the biggest public celebrations across Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and other northern states where families and neighbourhood light massive bonfires, and father around sharing peanuts, jaggery, popcorn, popped wheat and sweets. The harvest festival which is one of the most important for the agrarian community across India, and in other parts is celebrated a day later, January 14, as Sankranti, Bihu, Pongal etc.

However Lohri 2021, is one like never seen before, the farmers are out on protest, sitting on dharnas across the country. While the most massive congregations are now at various borders of Delhi. SabrangIndia spent the day at Ghazipur border, where preparations for the evenings Lohri programme began early in the day. The multiple kitchens continue to churn out hot fresh food with some special additions of peanuts, jaggery, sesame seed sweets and popcorn being served as the lohri offering as well, the sweet of the day at some kitchens was sweet carrot halwa. 

Soon tractors from Haryana rolled in with even piping hot rice and jaggery kheer in gant vats, another caravan of tractors from Uttar Pradesh came with a large supply of fresh milk. And some others even brought audio systems to play folk music later at night. “It is a festival of national integration here, January 26 will be even bigger, you just see,” said Nihar Singh, a farmer from Moradabad.

Farmers protestImage: Karuna John
 

Many farmers who have been protesting at Ghazipur for over a month, even confirmed that their extended families back  in Punjab and Haryana have also burnt copies of the Acts this Lohri. “My extended family told me they are also doing what we are here. They will send me a video late at night of the Lohri of the century,” young Jasjit Singh, a first year college student, and farmer from Uttarakhand says  the authorities should see the ashes and get the message. Many attending the Lohri gatherings  shouted slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership, saying the next elections will send the biggest message to the Centre if the laws are not repealed by then.  

“We do not accept these farm laws and we do not trust this committee which has always supported the aws,” said a farmer from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Sharing a hookah with him was a farmer from Haryana who said the agitation will only grow in size and intensity after the Supreme Court’s observation,“Lohri is one of the biggest festivals for me and my family, today I burn Modi’s Farm Law. He can come and see it for himself.”

The main Lohri bonfire was built on the Delhi-Meerut flyover, with firewood, and dried cow dung and straw pats, and one crucial ingredient was kept ready--copies of the farm bills. As the sun began to set, prayers were said for those who had lost their lives in the nearly two months of sitting in protest out in the bitter Delhi cold. Soon as the sun touched the horizon, the flames went up, and with it copies of the contentious Farm Acts that the farmers themselves have rejected long ago.  

 

Related

Maharashtra farmers plan large-scale protest leading upto Jan 26

Karnataka farmers stand steadfastly with protesting Delhi farmers, will reach Delhi border on Dec 25

Maharashtra farmers to leave for Delhi on December 21

Are the new farm laws constitutional?

Farmers create new protest site at Gangaicha border, intensify struggle

Do farmers’ demands benefit India’s hungry population?

Farmers celebrate Lohri, burn copies of Farm Acts into ashes in the bonfire

Prayers were said for those who had lost their lives in the protests, the Lohri bonfire was fed with the copies of the contentious Law 

Farmers protestImage: Karuna John


At the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border of Ghazipur, thousands of farmers were joined and cheered on by many residents of nearby areas, as they consigned copies of the three farm Acts to flames. The farmers and their friends were celebrating Lohri on January 13, one of the biggest public celebrations across Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and other northern states where families and neighbourhood light massive bonfires, and father around sharing peanuts, jaggery, popcorn, popped wheat and sweets. The harvest festival which is one of the most important for the agrarian community across India, and in other parts is celebrated a day later, January 14, as Sankranti, Bihu, Pongal etc.

However Lohri 2021, is one like never seen before, the farmers are out on protest, sitting on dharnas across the country. While the most massive congregations are now at various borders of Delhi. SabrangIndia spent the day at Ghazipur border, where preparations for the evenings Lohri programme began early in the day. The multiple kitchens continue to churn out hot fresh food with some special additions of peanuts, jaggery, sesame seed sweets and popcorn being served as the lohri offering as well, the sweet of the day at some kitchens was sweet carrot halwa. 

Soon tractors from Haryana rolled in with even piping hot rice and jaggery kheer in gant vats, another caravan of tractors from Uttar Pradesh came with a large supply of fresh milk. And some others even brought audio systems to play folk music later at night. “It is a festival of national integration here, January 26 will be even bigger, you just see,” said Nihar Singh, a farmer from Moradabad.

Farmers protestImage: Karuna John
 

Many farmers who have been protesting at Ghazipur for over a month, even confirmed that their extended families back  in Punjab and Haryana have also burnt copies of the Acts this Lohri. “My extended family told me they are also doing what we are here. They will send me a video late at night of the Lohri of the century,” young Jasjit Singh, a first year college student, and farmer from Uttarakhand says  the authorities should see the ashes and get the message. Many attending the Lohri gatherings  shouted slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership, saying the next elections will send the biggest message to the Centre if the laws are not repealed by then.  

“We do not accept these farm laws and we do not trust this committee which has always supported the aws,” said a farmer from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Sharing a hookah with him was a farmer from Haryana who said the agitation will only grow in size and intensity after the Supreme Court’s observation,“Lohri is one of the biggest festivals for me and my family, today I burn Modi’s Farm Law. He can come and see it for himself.”

The main Lohri bonfire was built on the Delhi-Meerut flyover, with firewood, and dried cow dung and straw pats, and one crucial ingredient was kept ready--copies of the farm bills. As the sun began to set, prayers were said for those who had lost their lives in the nearly two months of sitting in protest out in the bitter Delhi cold. Soon as the sun touched the horizon, the flames went up, and with it copies of the contentious Farm Acts that the farmers themselves have rejected long ago.  

 

Related

Maharashtra farmers plan large-scale protest leading upto Jan 26

Karnataka farmers stand steadfastly with protesting Delhi farmers, will reach Delhi border on Dec 25

Maharashtra farmers to leave for Delhi on December 21

Are the new farm laws constitutional?

Farmers create new protest site at Gangaicha border, intensify struggle

Do farmers’ demands benefit India’s hungry population?

Related Articles

Hate Speech

Hate a political tool, now a state project: India 2023

There is a chance to make Meta Facebook accountable for its hate generating content on May 31, by voting YES for Proposal 7 titled “Assessing Allegations of Biased Operations in Meta's Largest Market” which is to be presented at Meta's AGM on May 31, 2023. It highlights allegations against Facebook for disseminating hate speech, its failure to address risks and political bias, voices concerns around inadequate content moderation and lack of transparency in platform practices. The writer calls on readers to participate in this campaign on social media to make our republic hate-free

Hate Speech

Hate a political tool, now a state project: India 2023

There is a chance to make Meta Facebook accountable for its hate generating content on May 31, by voting YES for Proposal 7 titled “Assessing Allegations of Biased Operations in Meta's Largest Market” which is to be presented at Meta's AGM on May 31, 2023. It highlights allegations against Facebook for disseminating hate speech, its failure to address risks and political bias, voices concerns around inadequate content moderation and lack of transparency in platform practices. The writer calls on readers to participate in this campaign on social media to make our republic hate-free


Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Theme

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Campaigns

Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Videos

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

IN FACT

Analysis

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Archives