Farmers Movement Archive

7 months on, women lend farm protest solid support

JIND: Even as farmers’ agitation against three farm laws is completing it’s seven months on June 26, women have emerged as a new and strong face of the movement. Whether camping at Haryana’s toll plaza or Delhi borders, they had sustained the efforts of the farmers with their enthusiasm. Whenever, police and farmers got into confrontation in Haryana, women had been seen on the forefront, sometimes even facing injuries and police actions. TOI team met up with some of them camping at Khatkar and Baddowal toll plazas in Haryana’s Jind district. These women, mostly from Bangar region, have been taking part actively since the beginning and were more in number when compared with their male counterparts. However, the women said the ongoing agitation has led to several changes in their life — the biggest is the time management as they have to manage work at home such as cooking, bring fodder from the field to feed the cattle and handling children who are at home for over a year due to Covid-19 outbreak. It is only only when they finish these tasks that they reach the toll plazas at about 11am. They leave the venue at 3pm. Sixty-year-old Rajo Devi, who hails from Dariawala village of Jind district, said she comes to Khatkar toll plaza daily with other women. “The agitation changed the life of women and made them stronger. The women now sleep early and wake up at 3am. We used to wake up at 5am before the agitation. We don’t fear now even death after nearly 500 farmers have lost their life while protesting. We never thought that Modi will turn like this after taking our votes. Now, the agitation has become a part of our life. And we will be here until our demands are met,” she added. “The adamant attitude and the use of force by the government on farmers, leaving them with injuries many times, led us women to take charge at the forefront. Women made protest sites more disciplined and energetic. Now, women learnt to address from public places, to speak for their rights and fight to save the future of coming generations. One day, Modi government will have to repeal the three laws, as we women have decided to fight till the last,” Savitri Devi, a native of Raichandwala village of Jind.

The Times of India

2021-06-25

Chandigarh