Farmers Movement Archive

Protests against farm laws put families in a bind in Punjab

BATHINDA: Besides roads, train tracks and toll plazas, tension over the three agricultural laws is being felt within family circles too. A case in point is a family based in Barnala. Part of the family is associated with the BJP and favours the farm laws while a daughter of the house, who is married in the nearby Aklia village, is opposing the farm laws with her relatives. The matriarch of the farming family in Aklia, Paramjit Kaur, is a staunch opponent of the farm laws. With the flag of a farm organisation draped around her shoulders, she has been participating in protests. Paramjit’s Canada-based son Gurdeep Singh is married to Sharry, daughter of teacher Rajmohinder, whose younger brother Yadwinder Shunty is Barnala district president of BJP. Rajmohinder and Shunty’s family is facing the wrath of farmers at the doorstep. Apart from that, the family faces the awkwardness of their daughter’s in-laws feeling they are against farmers’ interests. In response to the call of laying siege to houses of BJP leaders, farmers have been protesting outside the residence of Rajmohinder and Yadwinder for the last four days. Paramjit Kaur said, “These laws are anti-farmer and will lead to us losing the right of Minimum Support Price (MSP). Our lands could also be taken over by corporates, so we are opposing these laws and will keep on protesting till they are withdrawn.” Rajmohinder said, “Farmers have the right to raise a voice if they have issues but they must thoroughly read the laws as there is no mention of stopping MSP. These laws will be favourable for them.”

The Times of India

2020-10-19

Amritsar