Punjab and Haryana farmers on Sunday observed “Shadhanjali Divas” to pay homage to their associates who have died while protesting against the Centre’s three new agri-marketing laws.

Farmers’ unions have claimed that more than 30 people participating in the agitation have lost their lives due to several reasons including heart attack and road accidents.

The protesting farmers performed ‘adras’ (prayers) in memory of those who have departed, at different villages of the two states on Sunday.

Former Union minister and senior BJP leader Birender Singh, who is also the grandson of pre-independent India's tallest farm leader Sir Chhotu Ram, participated in a prayer meeting organised at NH-18 in Palwal.

“At several places in Punjab, tributes were paid to farmers who died during this agitation,” Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said.

Union leaders asserted that they will not let this ‘sacrifice’ of their brethren against the “black laws” go in vain.

At some places in Punjab, farmers owing allegiance to the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) also took out protest marches against the BJP-led government at the Centre for not acceding to their demand for the repeal of the three farm laws.

Haryana BKU chief Gurnam Singh said people at various places in the state held prayer meetings in memory of the farmers who passed away during the stir.

Meanwhile, the traffic movement on the Jaipur-Delhi highway remained partially affected for the eighth consecutive day on Sunday due to the protests by the farmers.

Braving intense cold, the farmers have been sitting on a carriageway of the highway in Shahjahanpur near the Rajasthan-Haryana border.

The carriageway has been blocked for traffic and Delhi-bound vehicles are being diverted through other routes, a police officer said.