Farmers Movement Archive

Big benefits of farm movement so far

JALANDHAR: The final fate of the farmers’ movement, notwithstanding extremely negative propaganda against it before and after January 26 events, is still very unclear. However, there have already been gains that are crucial for Punjab and Sikhs. Economists and agriculture experts can keep on debating for and against the farm laws or take a nuanced position but there already have been some big takes from this movement. It is indisputable that largelyPunjab farmers, most of them Sikhs, are at the core of this agitation and Sikhs across the country and world, irrespective of their professional or urban/rural backgrounds, are rallying behind them as the community perceives the three contentious farm laws as an attempt to harm a significant number of them. They have gained strength as Jats of Haryana and Western UP along with people of other communities, ideologies and states are supporting them. Two communities suffered together in the Partition, but communal fault lines at political level between Hindus and Sikhs created by anti-Punjabi language propaganda under the guise of ‘nationalism’ soon after had divided them and then the 1980s widened the gulf. They can be seen together at Darbar Sahib in Amritsar, but politically they have espoused contrasting stances, especially during every agitation. However, this time many are speaking up strongly for the (Sikh) farmers and to foil attempts to divide Punjabi Hindus against “Sikh farmers’ movement”. If the communal binary is partially failing, diverse castes have also come together despite attempts to sharpen the differences. Several Dalits have already joined the protests on the ground, others are supporting them online. Dalit preachers, activists and singers have already been to the protest. As Jat Sikhs, Dalits and people of different castes have been staying and dining together at the morcha, this brings out the reality of Punjab. Now farm groups have announced to celebrate Guru Ravidas’s birth anniversary at Singhu border. If on one side, the farm agitation has largely united the people of Punjab, bitterness between Punjab and Haryana has already turned into bonhomie at the level of people. Before Operation Bluestar and the massacre of November 1984, normalisation of ‘othering’ of Sikhs started from Haryana, when under then CM Bhajan Lal’s watch community members passing through the state were openly humiliated during the Asian Games in November 1982. Exactly 38 years later, Jats from Haryana have played the most crucial role in ending the isolation of Punjab farmers. They did not just join hands with Punjabis in removing the barricades from roads in Haryana but also provided the first protective cover when time-tested stratagem of raising the bogey of separatism or terrorism was brought into play to discredit any demand or agitation largely involving Sikhs. After January 26, Jats of western UP, led by Rakesh Tikait, have also played that crucial role. Some can question this proposition of “ending of isolation” by arguing that it was never there. But facts speak for themselves. For the first time ever, the issue of targeting of Sikh activists by any security or intelligence agency caught national attention when NIA issued notices to Sikh activists supporting the farmers’ movement. Such wrongful targeting has not taken place for the first time. The only difference is that silence on large scale and serious human rights violations, misuse of special laws in Punjab was normalised a long time back. Whatever is now being called “new normal” in the case of minority groups is actually “old normal” for Punjab, including manipulation of media in building narratives. It is an occasion to understand how games were played in Punjab by the establishment in the past. Selective silence was considered in the national interest. However, events since the last week of November 2020 have changed the ‘old normal’. Credit for this primarily goes to the farmers of Haryana, Western UP, Rajasthan, and other states, who in their native languages/dialects have demolished narratives built over the years in Hindi and English. They made the talking/shouting heads in certain studios look stupid. A large number of other Indians from across communities followed the Jats of Haryana and Western UP in challenging the narrative peddled by television anchors and the IT cell-wallas. The state got the tag of Udta Punjab, but that has already disappeared into thin air. Punjab feels more energetic, argumentative and articulate, its capacities are more synchronised and cooperative. In fact, the farmers’ movement has imparted positive energy in the state. People from other states are defeating the propaganda to isolate it. This movement is rewarding when one looks at these gains.

The Times of India

2021-02-25

Ludhiana