Farmers Movement Archive

Women lead farm protests at Haryana-Rajasthan border

Women farmers protesting at Shahjahanpur-Jaisinghpur Khera on the Haryana-Rajasthan border led the protests on Monday, on the occasion of International Women’s Day. Besides the women who are already camping at the protest site, women from various social organisations also joined them to celebrate the day. 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 farmers celebrated the day with folk songs and dances, while the stage and course of events for the day were helmed by women protesters. “Women from various places, such as Alwar, Sikar, and Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan and Rewari and Mahendragarh in Haryana, were a part of our celebrations. Women play a crucial role in strengthening our protest and through the programmes today, we got a chance to recognise their contributions,” said Madhav. Farmers across the country have been agitating against the three contentious farm laws, which were passed by the Centre in September last year, for the past few months. They fear that the new laws will leave them at the mercy of big corporations and end the minimum support price (MSP) for important crops. Nirmala Chaudhary, a 26-year-old farmer from Sikar in Rajasthan, who has been camping at the protest site with her family since last December, said that they had been protesting in the harsh winter conditions and will continue to do so in summer, but the government was indifferent to their struggles. “My family, including my grandmother, have been here since December. Despite all the difficulties, we have persisted. The government should understand that our struggle will not end since our livelihoods are at stake,” said Chaudhary. She said that farmers were facing financial losses since they were camping at the borders, but the government was not taking cognizance of their demands. “We have already suffered so much. Farming is suffering, there is no one to take care of the cattle back home, but the government has left us with no choice but to protest,” she said.Sumitra Chopra, a member of All India Democratic Women’s Association, said that women farmers were a crucial pillar of the ongoing movement and it was only through their support that the movement had continued for over 100 days. “Today, on International Women’s Day, we joined ranks with the protesting women farmers to extend our support to the farmers’ agitation. Along with women who have been camping here for months, we celebrated Women’s Day together. The government should see the unity of women and understand that we are united in our struggle against these unfair laws,” said Chopra. She said that the farm laws posed a danger to the lives and livelihoods of farmers across the country. “The manner in which the government has ignored the interests of farmers shows that democracy in the country is under threat. We appeal to the Prime Minister to roll back these laws or else, the agitation will be intensified further. Women farmers will struggle in tandem with men, but there is no question of giving up,” said Chopra.

Hindustan Times

08-03-2021

Gurugram