Farmers hold 'havan' on Basant Panchami at Singhu border

New Delhi, Feb 16 Farmers sitting on protest at Singhu on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border for over 80 days organised a 'havan' on 'Basant Panchami' on Tuesday to purify the environment and to pray to God to make Prime Minister "understand the issues and accept farmers' demands".

As part of the religious ritual, five logs of wood as well as cowdung cakes were kept aside to celebrate Basant Panchami, which marks the beginning of the Holi festival that will be celebrated across the country near March-end.

"All farmers present at Singhu participated in 'pooja' in the morning for the purification of the environment and make our Prime Minister Narendra Modi understood our problems and accept our demands. We placed five pieces of wood to mark the beginning of Holi festival on the border," farmer Devi Singh of Shamli in Uttar Pradesh said.

Holi or the festival of colour is celebrated as per the Hindu calendar in 'Falgun' month (spring season) and hence also known as 'Falguni'. The festival begins with Basant Panchami.

The farmers are demanding law on MSP for various crops as well as the the repeal of The Farmers' Products Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Empowerment and Protection Pact on Price Assurance and Agricultural Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

( With inputs from IANS )