Farmers Movement Archive

56-year-old farmer dies due to health issues on way from interstate border protest site

A 56-year-old farmer from Maharashtra who had been protesting at Shahjahanpur near Jaisinghpur Khera on the Haryana-Rajasthan border died due to cold on Wednesday evening while she was returning to her home town, protest leaders said. However, health officials could not confirm the same.A statement issued by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha identified the deceased as Sitabai Tadvi, a resident of Ambabari village in Nandurbar district of Maharashtra. Tadvi died near Jaipur while she was on her way back. Sanjay Madhav, a member of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha — the umbrella body of farmer unions protesting at Delhi’s borders — and the state convener of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee in Rajasthan, said that Tadvi left the protest site to return to her village on Wednesday. “She was ill due to the cold weather and had a fever. She died on her way to Jaipur while she was being taken to her village in Maharashtra. We were told that she could not tolerate the cold,” said Madhav. He said that Tadvi had also participated in the tractor march on Republic Day and contributed to the protest movement in various capacities.Farmers from across the country have been protesting against the three new farm laws that were passed by the Centre in September last year. They fear that the new laws will leave them at the mercy of corporations and end the minimum support price (MSP) for important crops. During the course of the agitation, many farmers have died at various protest sites on account of cold weather conditions. According to the statement issued by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, Tadvi had been involved in farm agitations over the past 25 years. “She was at the forefront of various campaigns. Be it her involvement in the fight against farmer debt or the demand for MSP guarantee. She was fighting against the three laws and managing the protest site at Shahjahanpur since January 16 till January 27,” said the statement. Madhav said that Tadvi came from a tribal family and her contributions to various farmer agitations, including the movement against the three laws, would be remembered. He said that protesting farmers had observed two-minute silence to recognise on Thursday to remember her contributions.

Hindustan Times

28-01-2021

Gurugram