Faridabad: Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to a Haryana farmer Hari Singh Bishnoi and praised his efforts for crop diversification, a section of farmers from Bishnoi’s native village, Nadhori in Fatehabad district, said that a donation drive is underway in the village to support farmers protesting at the Delhi borders. Farmer leaders also claimed that some village panchayat members have also passed a resolution against PM Modi and three farm laws, however, authorities are trying to find out its authenticity.

A former village sarpanch, Ravinder Dharnia, told The Indian Express the farmers in tractor-trolleys left for Delhi borders on Tuesday, adding a campaign for collection of funds for them is also underway in the village. Another former sarpanch, Krishan Bishnoi, said, “Apart from a collection of Rs 3 lakh, the villagers are also donating ghee and wheat for the agitator farmers.” A farmer leader Mandeep Nathwan said three tractor-trolleys left for Delhi Tuesday. While the current village sarpanch, Sumit Kumar, could not be contacted, a former Fatehabad Zila Parishad member, Ramswaroop Dhani Gopal, said the sarpanch was present when a resolution by panchayat members was passed against three laws on Monday. “Around 100 farmers were present in the meeting to raise their voice against three farm laws. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to misguide the farmers, but we will fight against the black laws,” said Ramswaroop, who is district president of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS).

However, sources in the farm outfit admitted that they were yet to get overwhelming support from the farmers of this village. Fatehabad’s District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) Baljeet Singh Chahal said the administration has sought a report from Block Development And Panchayat Officer (BDPO) to submit a report regarding the resolution by Nadhori village panchayat. “We will initiate further action once we get a report,” added Chahal. The village is dominated by members of the Bishnoi community.

Meanwhile, anticipating a backlash from the fellow farmers and agitators, Hari Singh Bishnoi is avoiding any comment on the issue of three farm laws. “I am not an expert of laws,” Bishnoi, 52, told The Indian Express. “No resolution has been passed against me in the village. I did not kill a cow. He (Modi) is king of the country. I did not talk with him about the laws or anything else which may hurt the sentiments of the people,” said Bishnoi.

A matriculate, Bishnoi had started opting crop diversification ten years back with sowing guava orchards in two acres from switching the traditional crop of paddy. Now, he has guava and lemon on ten acres out of the family’s total 40 acres. “I get an incentive of Rs 7,000 per acre for opting crop diversification in my ten acres. It’s our duty to opt for crop diversification as the water table is going down very fast,” he added. Bishnoi sells his produce in small local mandis. Lauding his efforts for the crop diversification, PM Modi had stated, “First of all, I congratulate you and your brothers. Otherwise, by doing agriculture of only one pattern, we have wasted a lot of water and soil. I am sure you will contribute in a very good manner by opting new ideas. The productivity of your soil will also increase by opting different crops. You might have experienced it.”

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