As farmer leaders suspend their protest against Central Agriculture Laws that were rolled back by the Narendra Modi government, LokMarg team speaks to the protesters who had been camping at various border points of Delhi for over a year.
Most of the farmers say while the rollback has not come in a day too late, they are happy to bring an arrogant NDA government to its knees by their persistence and support from India and across the world.
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Kavitha Kuruganti, a Bengaluru-based member of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, says repeal of farm laws is just the beginning; a lot more is needed to protect small farmers and Advasis
I handle the media relations and public statement of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and was actively involved in drafting the resolution adopted by Kisan Sansad held at Jantar Mantar in August this year.
We wanted something positive in terms of entitlement to farmers with regards to the crop prices. And our demand is in sync with the promises made by NDA government which had committed itself of doubling the farmers income during their tenure. It is unfortunate that even to this date they haven’t made any progress on this front.
While the government has rolled back the farm laws what farmers need beyond the repeal is guaranteed price for their produce. Towards this end, we asked for four things under the title Kisan Swaraj Neeti. These four steps are the essential elements of changing the paradigm in favour of the country’s farmers.
First is income security to be guaranteed to all framers. It’s not correct that we talk in bits and pieces in terms of insurance, better technology. At the end of the day, whatever the government does in the name of farmers or rural development and agricultural reforms, it has to manifest itself in terms of a dignified living income. The government has to make itself accountable to deliver the income and not schemes, as they do not add up to better income. If you make the overall goal of raising their income, all other things will be better aligned and there will be a self-correcting mechanism of them becoming falling in place.
The second is environmental sustainability in agriculture. There is no point in degrading our resources or overexploiting our resources. A short term prosperity, if at all there is any such thing, at the expense of those very resources which are required to sustain livelihood for the future is unacceptable. If our soil degrades, out water tables dry up, our diversity erodes, how can farming sustain in future? So making environmental sustainability a key focus and commitment in everything we do. Sarkar, Bazar and Samaj all three have equal responsibility towards this end.
The third is the control of resources must remain in the hands of farmers. You can’t take away their land, forest seeds and expect them to still survive in this enterprise. The government cannot lay claims to agricultural resource; that will be resource-grabbing.
The fourth and final one is to save diverse and nutritious food for all citizens. We want consumers to be connected to food, farming and farmers. The struggle for farmers cannot just be their struggle alone; it is the food system struggle and consumers have a large stake in it. This is how we in ASHA Kisan Swaraj articulate the Kisan Swaraj Neeti and while by doing so we visualize the invisible actors in farming like women farmers, tenant farmers, and Adivasi farmers. Without that social responsibility building, the structure will not sustain.
Monica Gill (32), an American model, actress and beauty pageant title holder left her flourishing career in glamour world to support Punjab farmers protesting against central laws
I started off my career in modelling at a very young age. I took a break during college years and after that I re-joined pageantry. I won Miss India Massachusetts, Miss India USA in 2013, and Miss India Worldwide 2014 after which I was picked up by Tips Industries to do Punjabi films.
I did Ambarsariya opposite Diljit Dosanjh, Kaptaan with Gippy Grewal. I made my Hindi film debut with the film Firangi. I then did Sat Shri Akaal England with Ammy Virk. My second Hindi film was a J P Dutta movie titled Paltan opposite Harshvardhan Rane. My last Punjabi film was Punjabi-language period drama Yaara Ve in 2019.
It was on the spur of an emotional moment that I decided to drop behind tinsel world and took up the cause of Punjab farmers battling against implementation of new Agri Laws. The single most important thing that led me to this decision was my grandma and her reaction. The farmers’ protests started in June in Punjab and was going on for a while before the farmers moved to Delhi and pitched makeshift tents on various state borders.
When in November they moved from Punjab through Haryana towards Delhi, they faced unprecedented police and paramilitary brutality. Such was the intensity of police force that for my grandma it brought forth deep traumas within her from 1947, and from 1984, when Sikhs had faced largescale massacres. I knew that we had to win this battle for her; for those traumas heal. Otherwise she was going to die with this burden: “Is this world safe for my grandchildren?”
I wanted her to know that this isn’t the same world that it was in 1947 or in 1984. This world is a better place. Yes, as Sikhs we are minorities but we are not helpless. We have people in so many powerful positions across the world that we can make a difference, and that is exactly what happened and I am grateful for that.
Leaving behind camera flashbulbs, I joined the Sikh Human Rights Group, an NGO with special consultative status at the UN. It has been a strong learning curve. I struggle at times because I am not an academic. I am not someone who come from a different background but my boss is quite patient with me and for that I am grateful. I have found a sense of peace working in the field of Human Rights. It is extremely fulfilling.
I consider myself lucky to have found this organisation which was willing to take me and give me a chance to learn and give me an opportunity to fight for my community. My family was supportive of me in making this career switch and I hope to stay in this field for a while.
My mantra in life is: your voice matters, you matter. If it wasn’t for the diaspora and the youth waking up, the voice of the Indian farmers wouldn’t have gone as loud as it did. One of my friends says that there is a Pakistan Punjab and there is an India Punjab but there is a third Punjab that lives throughout the world. And when Punjab is in turmoil that third Punjab rises up. And that voice cannot be shut down.
That is what the Indian government didn’t understand. That third Punjab stood up and it was beautiful to see. So to all the youngsters reading this I just want to say: You matter, your voice matters. Rise up, speak up and create chaos.
Manoj Pachauri, founder of NGO Socio Story Foundation, found the transgender as one of the most vulnerable sections amid Covid. Pachauri discloses his work to make the community self-sustainable
I am an MBA graduate who was drawn to social sector. When I started the NGO, SocioStory to help social enterprises through mentorship and other support, I never thought that in a couple of years, I would witness a pandemic crisis of such magnitude. Like many other NGOs, we too decided to use our resources to help those affected by the virus and the nationwide lockdown.
Thus, we began to distribute food and other essential items to the vulnerable during the first wave amid largescale migration and oxygen concentrators during the second wave. It was during the first wave that we were contacted by several members of the transgender community (Hijras) that there were many of them who had run out of supplies and needed urgent help.
The Hijra community in India usually have no other vocation and live off on charity. Their primary source of income is begging on traffic signals or dancing at people’s wedding or childbirth. When the lockdown was imposed, their earnings stopped. Their neighbours, who had helped them for some time, were themselves running short of money and ration.
So we decided to pull all our strength and lay extra focus on the community. We first identified the pockets where the transgender community members lived in clusters. Then we went to these areas to assess their situation and create some data. We found that many were skipping meals and drinking water to supress the hunger pangs. Some were trying to sell their belongings in return of food. They were in a crisis situation. This was the case in all the cities where we were operating.
We arranged help for over 10,000 transgender people across Vizag, Rajkot, Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi-NCR by continuously distributing ration kits, sanitizers and other medicines for them to survive the pandemic. We tried to keep them fed through crowdfunding till the Unlock progressed. I would here also thank all the donors who came forward to support the community in the times of crisis.
However, we realised our job was not over simply by feeding them during one lockdown. What will they do if another lockdown is imposed tomorrow? These people will be in the same condition again. So we devised and launched a skill-based programme to make transgender people employable and self-sustainable. The effort required two-way approach. While we trained the willing members of the community, we also approached the employers for acceptability.
The society needs to accept the members of transgender community as their own. We need to value their self-esteem and treat them as fellow human beings. If there is a job vacancy in any private company, they should make a mention that they also accept applications from the members of transgender community. Getting quality schooling and college education is also a challenge for this community and we are working to provide them both education and skills to get respectable employment.
Kerala-based Lt Col (Retd) Susan John, 62, welcomes the steps to ensure a greater role for women in Armed Forces. However, she says, the move hasn’t come a moment too soon
I joined Indian Army after my Class 12 in 1978 and am very proud to have served the forces. I was with the Military Nursing Service (MNS). Ours was the only Army corps way back then which gave lady officers permanent commission.
It was only after the Supreme Court, in February 2020, upheld the right of serving short service commission (SSC) women officers to be granted permanent commissions just like their male colleagues. And lately the welcome step of female cadets being allowed to enroll in Sainik Schools.
So you can see it took the government and the defence apparatus over three decades to realize what women are capable of when it comes to the uniform services, that too when prodded by the apex court. All I can say is the decision has not come a moment too early. Better late than never.
I see Armed Forces as the best career option for girls with the discipline, culture, respect and security that it gets with it. I felt so secured in my life as a lady Army officer in the army that it cannot be expressed. The Army unit was like a well-knit family and our matrons were our role models. Today when I look back I feel choosing the uniform was the best decision of my life. I have no regrets.
The expansion of roles for women in the Army will also benefit the force immensely. The whole notion of branding women as the weaker sex is mere patriarchal propaganda. In whichever roles women officers have served the defence forces, they made exemplary contribution without fear in the past. And now, there is no stopping the girls and women of today.
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I can say with confidence that women officers in their new roles will smoothly adapt themselves without a challenge. No one would be able to raise a finger on them when they ask for their promotions or higher ranks; such is the capability that women possess. Incapable men who opposed combat roles or higher positions for women can go sulk now that the SC has paved the way.
Even in the medical core we served in filed areas. In fact there are lady officers who are far ahead of men managing certain corps over their male counterparts. Army can reach to great heights in every filed with the support of women, I believe.
A woman knows how to take care of the family and protect it. She carries this conviction be at home or the warfront. Men can never match the mental strength and the skill of a woman, no matter which roles she takes up.
As Told To Mamta Sharma
Anil Bhutoria, 59, an industrialist based in Kolkata, says the Bengal CM’s ability to connect with people makes her transition as a national leader inevitable
It is interesting to see the Trinamool Congress (TMC) spreading its wings and seriously panning out from being a regional player to being a national player. Be it Tripura, Meghalaya, Punjab or Goa, Mamata Banerjee and her party seem to be confident of creating a solid base of voters in these states.
Even though it is too early to say whether she will emerge victorious or not, I am sure she will be able to definitely connect with the local people in these states and make some serious advance into the local politics. For example, Bengal and Goa both have large Christian populations and a shared love for football; who knows what factor might tilt votes.
Most probably she will be able to make the transition smoothly into a national figure, for she is a daughter of the soil. She might not be the most camera savvy or suave persons around, but she definitely has her heart in the right place. Plus, she is not new to national politics. She has been a Cabinet Minister at the Centre and definitely knows her way. Again, it might be too early to say anything concrete but she may prove to be a good fit at central leadership or the PM’s role.
As an industrialist who has operated business under both the Left Front and TMC in Bengal (I established the Stadel group in 2003), I would say things had started improving under Buddhadeb Bhattacharya itself. But Mamata Banerjee did make things better. Nobody had ever thought that the Left Front would go out from Bengal, but Ms Banerjee fought single-handedly and won. Who knows what the future holds as far as national politics is concerned?
As far as I am concerned, I don’t follow any leader or party blindly and only go by the ground reality or statistics. And I must say that the statistics speak for themselves. Mamata Banerjee is a proactive leader. She is forever strategizing and figuring out newer ways to connect with people. And that according to me is the mark of a good leader, someone who has her ear on the ground. Be it the remote areas of rural Bengal or a metropolitan Kolkata, she makes sure to stay connected with the populace. She takes care that social schemes are set in motion and that people benefit from them. One of the things that personally make me the happiest is that Kolkata has begun to look much cleaner than before.
Also, while other states were just fighting the pandemic, West Bengal had to deal with the double blow of the pandemic and cyclone Amphan. And Bengal dealt with it well. Bengal was really well-prepared for cyclone Yaas in May 2021. A good leader should be able to multitask well.
All in all, I think the country is ready for someone who is unafraid to be herself and lead from the front. But Mamata Banerjee also has to take a more balanced approach in connecting with people across the length and breadth of the country.
A Delhi citizen all her life, Priyanka Gera was forced to leave a well-settled living due to worsening air quality in the city. Gera says she has lost hope of seeing any improvement
I grew up in Delhi. I was a pure Delhiite until the birth of my daughter when I could no longer ignore the air pollution in Delhi. My husband was perpetually anxious about her wellbeing. We bought an AQI monitor and put air purifiers at every room in our house.
During winters we didn’t send her to pre-school on most of the days because the AQI used to be severe. We would escape to a hill station around Diwali. Then came a point when we no longer wanted to adjust our lifestyle according to pollution levels.
We started wearing N95 masks in 2018-19 while venturing out. Now masks are mandatory due to the pandemic and I find it funny that people still won’t wear masks despite the Covid guidelines, leave alone the poor air quality.
As the situation got worse by each passing year, in 2019, we took the tough call to leave our families, social circle and well-set careers and move to Bangalore for the sake of a better environment. Most people can’t do that or won’t do that – leave their well settled lives because of a danger that they don’t think is clear and present. So, they tell themselves various things to live with it, most vague of these reasoning is that somehow, you’ll develop strength or a kind of immunity in your body to adapt to pollution as if it were some ordinary flu germs. Yes, it’s true, I have heard this from so many people in Delhi!
Having lived in Bangalore for two years have done just the opposite. Now, every time we come to Delhi to visit our families, we get unwell. I wake up coughing every single day. No, it’s not Covid-19, it’s another lung killer that we choose to ignore – pollution!
I don’t know why most people are not anxious about the pollution affecting quality of their life. People like us are exceptions, who are willing to uproot themselves because we’ve lost hope that it can ever improve here.
Surely the government and agencies have been aware of the potential crisis since decades, that’s why CNG was introduced and Metro was planned. All industries have been sent out of Delhi. The problem is not just Delhi, it’s very much there in the neighbouring states too.
Government action is but all ‘reaction’ – nothing much is being done proactively. It takes the Supreme Court to give ultimatums to Delhi Government to take steps, now construction has been halted, schools are shut etc.
Gurpreet Wasi, a protester against Farm Laws, says the groundswell against BJP in Uttar Pradesh ahead of elections scared Modi
It serves many people in many ways to keep the farmers’ protest alive. The last in line for anyone’s consideration is the small farmer. Drawing room activists say, ‘Farmers should not go back. They should continue protesting. Modi may be lying.’ My question is: How many of you, since January 2021, have shown the gall to visit the sites. All the selfies at the protest bandwagon disappeared after the Red Fort fiasco. It only serves their Left-leaning heart that these poor souls keep lying in the bitter cold so that they can say “Ohh! That monster Modi.”
The announcement of farm laws rollback came as a blessing. Everyone’s spirit was wearing out. They would ask: why doesn’t anyone care? It was harvest time, all the younger people had gone back to Punjab. It was very difficult to persuade people who had gone back to return to protest sites. Because they see nothing happening. There was no public support, the NGOs and langars were kind of waning.
The government started the whole vindictive thing of arresting people who were supporting the farmer protest, they started stopping the funding, punishing people who were the backbone of the protest etc.
And there was so much infighting. What I unfortunately was seeing was that how the movement was going to end, probably another few months and this year a very harsh winter is expected. So I wasn’t too sure what was going to happen.
I think the Modi camp misread the situation, the kind of international backlash, the kind of bad PR and what is happening in Uttar Pradesh scared them. This move of withdrawing the laws is I think the suggestion of Capt Amarinder in Punjab. He is bitten by the rejection from Congress. He also knows that Punjab is very emotional about GuruPurab, especially Guru Nanak’s birthday is probably the most important day in all our lives so he knew how to swing the emotion for Modi.
It seems like it’s a Punjab farmers’ victory, in the sense that their honours have been restored. What have they not been called: from terrorists to anti-nationals to murderers…? So it is the restoration of honour for a Punjabi farmer.
But the real reason is the UP elections. There is a larger agenda in place with the BJP going all out (taking back the laws) to win upcoming elections. UP is very very important. The Lakhimpur incident turned the tide against BJP in UP. Although the media isn’t covering it but Tikait is going from village to village and panchayat after panchayat is telling villagers not to vote for BJP. The opposition too has put its forces unitedly behind farmers. I think that scared Modi.
But at the end of the day, innocent people who have been used by everybody including all political parties, for their political gain. For the small farmer sitting there, the older people – this exit is just necessary. They have made a point which I think is the biggest point made ever since Independence and I do not think anything else is needed. I think whatever they set out to do at that point is being driven home but now we must let them go.
As Told To Mamta Sharma
Sukhbir Singh, 55, a son of soil from Sangrur, Punjab says abolishment of Central Farm Laws is nonetheless a tribute to the indomitable spirit of Punjab farmers
Words cannot describe my happiness about the repealing of the Farm Laws. Our mehnat, our struggle and our belief has borne fruit and on what a beautiful day: Guru Nanak Jayanti. Maybe the day was symbolically chosen by the BJP government to call truce, but victory nevertheless tasted sweeter on Gurpurab day. I was literally jumping with joy when the news was flashed on TV screens that the Farm Laws bad been rolled back by Prime Minister Modi.
I wouldn’t say it is a change of heart that brought about the roll back, but rather out of political compulsion: as a step to save the vote banks or not antagonise other voters during the forthcoming Punjab and Uttar Pradesh elections. Yet, no matter what the reason, finally seems like the government has come to its senses.
Born into a family of farmers, and having literally grown up on farms, I know how we deal with challenges year after year. It has been an uphill task to manage the different hardships from reducing ground water table, struggling to get right prices for non-staple crops in the absence of minimum support price, rising unpaid loans during a bad season to many other things. The repealing of Farm Laws is therefore just the first step; the government needs to walk a long road with the farmers if it truly wants to support them. Authentic and honest dialogue is important between the government and the farmers.
Hamari ekta, hamara sangharsh karne ka jazba, hamari sach ka sath dene ki takat, in sab cheezon ne hi humein aaj jeet dilayi hai aur aage bhi dilayegi (Our unity, our indomitable spirit, and our courage to always stand by the truth has got us this victory today and will yield greater results in the future too).
I am proud of all my farmer brothers and sisters from other parts of the country, but I am especially proud of us Sikhs. We give everything we had to the purpose at hand fearlessly. Guru Nanak Dev Ji and the successive Gurus have taught us to believe in both ourselves and a cause that moves us. Many people think that farmers have been unreasonable in not budging an inch, but the entry of corporates into farming would have meant an increase in price of almost all eatables. Perhaps then those people would have understood. We are people of the soil and we know what we are doing.
The government should understand that the voter in a democracy has a lot of power and Indian democracy is a robust one. We took everything in our stride during the year-long protests and finally the government had to bend. The government needs to understand that it is serving the people and needs to understand their fears and concerns and maybe suggestions too before bringing in new laws that affect huge sections of people.
Dr Sumit Kaur, who was part of a free medical facility for protesters at Tikri border, says farmers’ resolve made Prime Minister Modi see reason
This is such a huge victory for the farmers that the Centre has accepted their demands and announced it will repeal the three controversial Farm Laws. But we are not done yet. Even though this is a milestone in the farmer’s protest, we have a longer road to tread. For, the protest was not only about the Farm Laws being taken back, but also about the need for the government to look into important matters ailing the agricultural sector like MSP guarantee, farmers’ suicide, farm loan waivers etc.
I hope the Prime Minister has finally understood that leadership does not mean imposing arbitrary laws, but taking into consideration all the stakeholders involved. The farmers’ undying spirit, especially those of Sikh farmers, has made Modiji see reason. Hope he understands the importance of dialogue.
Perhaps others will draw strength from the victory of farmers and will stand beside the issues they believe in. I am feeling overwhelmed and equally proud at this victory. The international support is of no less importance. Support for the farmers poured in from everywhere and no matter what names we were called or whatever was thrown our way, we didn’t give up and we didn’t lose sight of our aim: better life for our farmers.
We braved everything from extreme cold and pollution last year, to fear of catching Covid among large gatherings and crowds, lack of basic amenities and everything else in between. But in the end we did manage to make the current government see reason. Our conviction has paid. Democracy has prevailed.
Perhaps other leaders should take note from Rakesh Tikait on how to lead. Tikait Sahab ne protests me nai jaan phoonk di (Tikait breathed life into the protest). He said that he wouldn’t go home unless the Farm Laws were repealed and he stood by his word. That’s how leaders should be, with one ear always on the ground as to what the janta wants. No doubt farmers from Punjab have been the most vocal during the protests. We always stand by what is right and what is beneficial for everyone involved.
I am currently in Punjab, but I so want to be with my friends at the protest site at the Delhi borders right now. It takes your joy to a whole new level, when you can share it with those who have undertaken the journey with you. Here’s hoping this is the start of a beautiful journey for the agricultural sector. I salute the farmers, the protesters and the independent media alike.
As Told To Yog Maya Singh
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