Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers’ stir over, political buzz to be back in villages

Hathur (Jagraon): With the farmers declaring victory and returning from Delhi borders, political activity will start in villages, where politicians were barred from holding any campaigning. During the agitation, posters banning political activity had come up at a number of villages, especially in Jagraon’s Hathur and Kaunke Kalan. At a couple of hamlets, the publicity material of a political party painted on the walls was blackened.“Political activity was not allowed in villages during our agitation, but now that we have won the battle against black laws, we will question the political parties,” said 61-year-old Kulwant Singh, a farmer from Chakar village, who claims to have participated in the agitation since November 26 last year. He added that this time it was not going to be easy for the political parties that make promises and fail to fulfill them. In Chakar, a political party’s publicity material was blackened. Another farmer of the village, Balwinder Singh, said unemployment was a big issue. Citing an example, he said his son has studied up to Class XII, but could not get a job. In the neighbouring Hathur, posters on a building barring political activity that had come up during farmers’ agitation are no longer there. A villager said these were brought down as farmers had won the battle. Many villagers were seen discussing issues for the coming elections, including the road to Lakha village.“We are happy that we have been victorious in our fight against the black farm laws. With elections a few months away, political activity will pick up now. All we want from parties is better facilities, including roads,” said Malkit Singh of Hathur. His fellow villager Ranjit Singh said the condition of roads, including those to Chakar and Lakha, was dismal and better roads would remain a poll plank.In Kaune Kalan village, the poster banning a political party continues to stay. A villager, speculating that it might be taken down soon, asserted that it portrayed the anger of people against the political set-up and was a pressure tactic to push political parties to fight for repeal of “black laws”.A team of The Times of India found publicity material, including posters of political parties and candidates, in some villages. Chamkaur Singh, a farmer who supported the farm agitation, said with bar on political activity gone, the parties’ leaders and workers will start making rounds of villages and voters too were ready with their questions. He said they would ask them about the roadmap to redress their grievances and fulfill old promises.“The farm agitation has changed the outlook of people and made them confident about their ability to get results. The voters will seek answers now,” he added. Rural presenceThere are 14 Vidhan Sabha constituencies in Ludhiana, of which eight, including Samrala, Khanna, Sahnewal, Gill, Payal, Dakha, Raikot and Jagraon, have a significant number of voters from rural areas.

The Times of India

2021-12-13

Ludhiana