Thousands of farmers, labourers, students, women and employees gathered at the grain market in Barnala on Monday to pay homage to Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on their martyrdom day, while participating in a massive anti-imperialist conference organised by nearly 90 mass organisations.The conference, held on the call of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), BKU (Ekta Dakaunda Dhaner) and the Krantikari Kisan Union Punjab (Buttar), also saw strong opposition to the India-US trade deal, with speakers terming it “anti-people” and calling for intensifying the struggle against it.The gathering also condemned the ongoing war involving the United States and Israel against Iran, and called for its immediate cessation.Addressing the conference, various speakers alleged that the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was pursuing policies, such as scrapping the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), introducing electricity and seed amendment bills, implementing labour codes and promoting privatisation and corporatisation of public institutions.They asserted that building a united anti-imperialist people’s movement through sustained struggles against these measures would be the true tribute to the martyrs.The speakers also accused ruling establishments of fostering caste, communal and regional divisions to weaken people’s struggles.Among those who addressed the conference were Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Manjit Singh Dhaner, Harbhajan Singh Buttar and representatives of various farmer, labour and employee unions.