Farmers Movement Archive

Sister Act: Women farmers brave the extremes for a future for young ones

NEW DELHI: Sakhvinder Kaur, 70, had to leave her Gurdaspur farm under the protection of her neighbours after she and her children decided to travel hundreds of kilometres to the Singhu border to participate in the farmers’ protest. For women farmers like her, privacy, hygiene and health are issues of concern at the protest site. Yet they all persevere in their demand to have the new farm laws repealed by the central government. Kaur, who reached the Delhi-Haryana border a few days ago, explained why she had come: “Crop and earning losses lead our farmers to take their own lives. There will be more of these if these new laws stay. We cannot have such a dismal future for our children.” The elderly farmer is ready to suffer some indignities during the protest because “we are fighting for our rights” and “because we have no expectations from this government”. Laabh Kaur too left her farm behind in the care of a relative. The 72-year-old farmer from Sangrur has been at the border for six days now. “My two sons and daughter-in-law have accompanied me. Though I am old and unwell and this place is crowded with men, I feel comfortable because I know this is the only way to get justice. I do not care for myself. All that matters is we get what we want,” said the spunky septuagenarian. Many others, like Kamlesh Antil of Sonipat, member of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, have been bringing daily supplies to the protest site. “We take special care of our farmer sisters,” Antil said. “The impact of these farm laws will be severe on them because they have anyone to turn to.” Antil added that there were people who were not afraid of teargas and were even ready to die for the cause. ‘Ready to die’ is, in fact, a common sentiment. A group from Sahnewal held a placard with the word kafan (shroud) written on it on Thursday. “We have come with the kafan on our heads and we vow not to go back until our demands are met,” declared young Mandeep Singh. Gurpreet Ghuggi, Punjabi film comedian and AAP member, spoke at the protest. “When the farmers say that they do not want these laws, why is the government pushing them? Either let the farmers protest peacefully or let them return home in happiness,” he demanded. On Thursday, the sugarcane that some farmers from Lutheri village had called for from their farms arrived. “Sugarcane from 18 acres of our farmlands have come along with a machine to extract the juice. We will distribute it for free among the protestors,” said Pavitra Singh. “We know even so much cane will last only two days, but we guarantee no one will go hungry here.” Food in their stomach, the farmers crowded around Mohammad Shamim’s bicycle. The waistcoat seller, normally present at Police Headquarters in ITO, came to the border to “help the protestors”. “I am doing my bit for their cause by selling them waistcoats at discounted prices,” he explained.

The Times of India

2020-12-04

Delhi