Farmers Movement Archive

Farmer leader from Maha dies of cold in city

Jaipur: A farmer leader from Nandurbar district in Maharashtra died due to cold weather in Jaipur on Thursday morning after a day’s stay here. She was supposed to catch a train on Thursday morning as she was returning to her native place from Shahjahanpur’s Alwar.The deceased has been identified as 56-year-old Sita Bai Tadvi, a resident of Ambabari village. She has been part of the farmers’ movement at Shahjahanpur border in Alwar since January 17.“They (a group of 124 Adivasi farmers) missed their morning train on Wednesday as they were delayed by almost two hours. So, they stayed for a night at one of the shelters near Jaipur railway station. She passed away on Thursday morning and the body was taken to her village (in an ambulance) by the family for last rites. According to her husband (Ram Das), she woke up, brushed her teeth and had an apple. He said she was feeling a bit weak in the morning,” said Kavita Srivastava of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).“They had an early morning train to catch. But, it is unfortunate that she passed away before catching the train. She was very committed towards the movement, participated in the Republic Day tractor rally and was part of the Maharashtra tableau. Her martyrdom will not go in vain,” she added.According to a statement issued by Sanyunkt Kisan Morcha, Sita Bai had been at the forefront of farmers’ and forest rights’ movements for the past 26 years as the founder member of Lok Sangharsh Morcha.“She has been at the forefront of every campaign against the three farm laws. She also led a protest march from Nandurbar to Mumbai, covering 480 kms on foot along with 5,000 protesters. She spearheaded the farmers’ agitation at Shahjahanpur border from January 17 to 27,” read the statement.

The Times of India

2021-01-29

Jaipur