Pagdi Sambhal Jatta 2.0 in Punjab and Haryana

ROHTAK/JIND/HISAR/BATHINDA: A farmers’ protest against the British dating to 1907 — better known as the ‘Pagdi Sambhal Jatta’ movement — took the centre stage at protest sites on the borders of Delhi, and across Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday.
Farmers in the two states who have been protesting against three contentious agro-market laws introduced by the Centre last year, on Tuesday celebrated the 140th birth anniversary of Ajit Singh, an uncle of revolutionary Bhagat Singh and who led the Pagdi Sambhal Jatta movement of 1907.
Even the descendants of Bhagat Singh and Ajit Singh participated in protests which were organised across the two agrarian states. Surjeet Kaur, niece of Bhagat Singh, spoke at an event organised on a call by the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a grouping of farm organisations which is spearheading the ongoing agitation. "First, I want to make it clear that Bhagat Singh had said that those who walk the path told by him were his inheritors. By this yardstick, those of you who are fighting the battle against the three laws are his real inheritors," said Surjeet, while speaking at a gathering in Kishanpura, Rohtak, Haryana. She drew a parallel between the protests led by Ajit Singh and the ongoing ones. "Back then, the movement by farmers was against three laws introduced by the British. Even now, the protest is against three laws. That time, farmers won after a long unrest; this time too, they will win," she added.
In Rohtak, the meeting was attended by retired professors, teachers, activists and students. A few descendants of Bhagat Singh’s extended family visited Singhu border between Haryana and Delhi where farmers have been protesting since November 27. BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said Ajit Singh made farmers fight against the high-handedness of the then British government. "The situation is the same again. Taking inspiration from the revolt which took place 113 years ago, we remember him fondly. We want to ensure that farmers come out victorious against this highhandedness of our ‘own’ government," he said.
Farm leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal and Darshan Pal said Bhagat Singh, like his uncle Ajit Singh, was one of the biggest heroes of farmers, who pledged to fight for their rights as shown by Ajit Singh. In Hisar, the event was celebrated at all four toll plazas where farmers have been protesting. In Jind, farmers celebrated the event at Khatkar and Baddowal toll plazas. Wearing different types of turbans, farmers reached the spot and paid tributes to Ajit Singh.