The glorious side of tractor marches

Even as videos showcasing violence and news of breaking of barricades began doing the rounds early on the morning of Republic Day, but for scores of participants and onlookers of the glorious tractor marches at the Singhu, Kundali and Tikri borders things remained peaceful as crowds viewed thousands of tractors march out on the customary parade which had been planned for Republic Day.

At least 40,000 to 50,000 tractors paraded across the pre-set path at the Singhu alone. People climbed atop bridges, trucks, tractors, trolleys and trees to take in some of the action. The day witnessed thousands of tractors taking part in the march sheeted in Tri-colours in what has to be the biggest-ever show of farm diversity in the country’s history. It wasn’t until they came into an internet zone that they realised something had gone amiss in Delhi even as tractors marched peacefully in front of their eyes at Singhu and Tikri.

Elderly men recalled protests during the British era saying they had never seen anything like this before in their lifetime. Women congregated by the roads cheering on the moving cavalcades. Meanwhile, huge clumps of police and paramilitary forces lined the borders to hold the march.

Many considered the parade a wedding between Delhi and Punjab, of Indian national pride and tribute to freedom struggle martyrs, which were the reigning themes of decked up tractors. Elderly men dressed as grooms (with sehras tied on their heads as well as tractors), Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and Udham Singh’s photos enveloped the vehicles. Some even spent lakhs on tractors and were rueful of the fact that their hard work never made it to TV due to the pictures of violence ruling the discourse for the day.

— Aparna Banerji