New Delhi:
A 25-member team of Muslim men have been serving ‘langar’ (community kitchen) since Wednesday to the farmers protesting against the Centre’s new farm laws at Delhi’s Singhu border. The team of the Muslim Federation of Punjab, led by Faaroqi Mubeen, say they have arrived at the Singhu border to “serve the farmers who feed everyone”.
“The ‘langar’ will go on 24X7 till the protests continue. The farmers do so much for us. It is out turn to return the favour,” he said. “It is our responsibility to take care of the farmers. We are a team of 25 volunteers who are working non-stop to keep the ‘langar’ going,” Mubeen said. Key routes at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh remained choked as thousands of farmers held demonstrations for the ninth consecutive day, after talks between three union ministers and a representative group of agitating farmers failed to yield any resolution on Thursday. The protesting farmers had on Wednesday threatened to block other roads of Delhi in the coming days if the new agriculture laws are not scrapped soon.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday said the farmers are hoping that the government will meet their demands during the fifth round of talks scheduled on December 5, failing which they will continue their protests. As farmers remained unyielding on their demand for scrapping the new farm laws, the police kept the Delhi-Haryana border at Singhu, Tikri, Jharoda Lampur, Auchandi, Safiabad, Piao Maniyari, and Saboli closed for traffic movement. It said border points at Dhansa, Daurala, Kapashera, Rajokri, NH 8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera are open for travel between Delhi and Haryana.
