New Delhi: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) farmers protesting against the (now scrapped) farm laws and other issues on the borders of the national capital are set to return to their homes on Saturday, after 378 days.
The majority of the farmers are now set to return to their villages in Punjab from the Singhu and Tikri borders, leaving the tents they made their homes since November last year. While some of the others who had constructed temporary concrete structures have already begun demolishing them.
While the farmers have started dismantling the tents, some have already left for their villages after the Centre on Thursday (December 9) had sent a letter promising to meet the farmers' demands.
Some of the protesting farmers from Punjab will also visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar on December 13 to offer prayers after the completion of their successful agitation, which forced the Union government to repeal the three farm laws.
Also read: Long day for farmers at Singhu as they dismantle a makeshift town
To celebrate the success, some farmer leaders will leave for their villages on decorated tractors from the different protest sites on the borders of Delhi. For this, the farmers have arranged a 51-foot-long trolley on the Singhu border for all the top SKM leaders.
Despite some farmers already heading home, the 'langar' (community kitchen) which had begun a year ago continues to function, giving food parcels to those who are going back.
Meanwhile, women who were taking care of household chores back in the villages and didn't meet their protesting family members for the past year, have reached the borders to join their families on the return journey.
Almost 15 months after the farmers' agitation began against the farm laws and other issues, the SKM, an umbrella body of farmer unions that led the protest, said that it has suspended the agitation after receiving positive assurances from the government on their demands.
The farmers union also said that it would hold a review meeting on January 15.
(With agency inputs)
