Subscribe Now! Get features like

After spending his day raising slogans, holding placards, and creating awareness among people about the farmers’ protest, Ranjodh Singh, 26, a dairy farmer from Jagraon village in Ludhiana district now spends his evenings watching devotional movies on the “big screen” at the Singhu border.

“I stand near the stage holding these placards to create awareness among those visiting the protest site. With the speeches wrapping up by evening, there isn’t much to do after that,” he said.

“But for the past two days, we have been watching movies on the big screen here.”

On Wednesday, an 8x12-feet LED screen was set up near a langar spot a few hundred metres away from the green United Farmers Front stage set up at the Singhu border.

For the past two days, hundreds of protesting farmers have been attending the screening of a two-part 3D animated movie called Chaar Sahibzaade directed by Harry Baweja. The farmers said the two-hour historical drama movie, popular in Punjab, is based on the sacrifices of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh.

“We sit by the langar and watch the movie during dinner. It is a lot like having a meal at home with family. Through this movie, people will learn more about our culture and it will help in dispelling wrong notions about us or our struggles,” he said.

The LED screen has been set up by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee to provide the protesting farmers with some relief.

Maan Singh, who is in charge of the screenings held at the spot, said, “Though our focus is on films detailing the history of our culture, we also screen short documentaries on farmers or play shabad-kirtans. The attendees seem to enjoy it as it provides them with a break from the day’s protest activities.”

Shoaib Malik, a volunteer at the spot who handles the equipment, said people came up to him on Friday and asked which movie would be screened at night.

Eighteen-year-old Gurnool Singh, who hails from Amritsar, was among them. “We were walking towards the langar at night when we noticed the movie playing on the LED screen. We had seen the movie in the theatre when it released a few years ago. To watch it under the open sky with hundreds of farmers is a different experience. We want the organisers to screen more educational content related to farming and agriculture.”

After videos of the screening were posted on social media, many labelled it a luxury.

“These are attempts to discredit our movement somehow. If an organisation has set up screens and is playing inspirational movies, what is the harm in that?” said Sandeep Singh, a farmer who hails from Khai Phemeki village in Ferozepur district. “I couldn’t catch the complete movie for the last couple of days. But I will definitely visit the spot early today to see what movie they pick today [Friday].”

Similar screenings have been held at Tikri border by independent artists and directors who have showcased their documentaries on farming and agriculture.

Kainat Sarfaraz covers education for Hindustan Times in Delhi. She also takes keen interest in reading and writing on the intersections of gender and other identities. ...view detail

'Will ensure justice...': K'taka minister on reports of two sisters stripped

Karnataka home minister Araga Janendra said Friday he had only just received information about an alleged assault on two women in Anekal, a town in Bengaluru district. The sisters were allegedly stripped and assaulted at their home for failing to pay a debt. Multiple media reports have said the police refused to file a complaint for two days and only did so after videos of the assault were widely shared online.

Chhattisgarh: Maoist carrying reward of ₹ 5 lakh killed in encounter with police

A Maoist carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on The Maoist, Kamlesh's head was gunned down by Chhattisgarh police in an encounter in Bastar's Sukma district on Friday, police said. The Maoist, Kamlesh was a member of Malenger Area Committee of Darbha Division of CPI (Maoist), police said. On Thursday, neighboring Dantewada police gunned down Denga Deva alias Mahangu Deva, who was a member of Katekalyan Area Committee of CPI (Maoist).

Monsoon covers Punjab’s Malwa belt, brings relief for farmers

The first monsoon showers that hit the semi-arid region of south Malwa on Thursday night brought respite for cotton farmers from the deadly whitefly but exposed the ill-preparedness of the civic authorities in the urban areas as several areas in Bathinda town were in knee-deep in water. Also read: Monsoon arrives in Chandigarh tricity, so does misery Low-lying areas, such as Power House Road and Sikri Bazaar, were waterlogged.

Mild earthquake in Karnataka's Kodagu, 3rd in a week in state: Report

A mild earthquake was felt in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district early Friday morning - the third in the past seven days. News agency PTI said locals were woken up at around 1.15 am by a loud noise and tremors that were felt in Sampaje, Guttigaru, Ubaradka, Goonaka, Elimale, Sullia and nearby areas. Officials told PTI a report from the natural disaster monitoring centre is awaited. On Saturday (June 25), a 2.3 quake was recorded.

Bengaluru: Civic workers begin indefinite strike, demand permanent jobs

Over 15000 Porakarmikas (civic workers) on Friday began an indefinite strike in Bengaluru, demanding that their jobs be made permanent from the existing contract system and better salary to take care of their families. These civic workers are the backbone of every city corporation in Karnataka and especially Bengaluru which houses over 12million of the total 70million people in the state.

Personalise your news feed. Follow trending topics