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ABSTRACT
The farmers unions in Punjab protesting against the Three Agricultural Laws gradually consolidated into an All-India Kisan Andolan when they marched to Delhi and camped at its borders. The farmers stayed put for an year till the Three Laws were repealed. This paper looks into the broad contours of andolan focusing on its seminal feature, the primacy of politics. The Morcha realized the significance of politics in the declaration of these laws and decided to counter the government’s strategy supporting the corporate houses politically. A nonviolent protest involving numerous sections of society, especially women, culminated in the farmers’ success.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 The election results in Punjab have proved it. Traditionally entrenched parties have been defeated giving a three-fourth majority to Aam Admi Party (AAP).
2 Also see Swarajbir, Unhan Punjab nu wapas Punjab ditta … , Punjabi Tribune, 5 December 2021.
3 Three Laws declared on 26–27 September 2020 are: (1) The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020. (2) Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Protection and Facilitation) Act 2020. (3) The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020. These were earlier issued as ordinances on 5 June 2020.
4 Infamous Godhra incident of train burning led to anti-Muslim riots in Gujrat killing about 800 Muslims and 250 Hindus. Narendra Modi was the chief minister then.
5 See chapter 3.
6 Five types of revolts are: Restorative, Religious movements, social banditry, terrorist vengeance and mass insurrections for the redressal of particular grievances. (Gough Citation1974, 1395).
7 For details on various aspects of the peasantry in Indian and Pakistan Punjab see Birinder Pal Singh (ed.) Punjab Peasantry in Turmoil, Delhi: Manohar, 2010.
8 Five farmers protesting against low prices of milk and vegetables were killed in police firing at Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh. Unrest turned violent and spread to other states.
9 The ‘protest site library’ was effective in carrying the message of protesters against CAA at Shaheen Bagh, Delhi. Likewise, libraries at the Tikri border were named Shaheed Bhagat Singh Library and Nanak Hut Library. (Trolley Times 5 January 2021.) At the Singhu border Jasveer Singh and Zia-ur-Rehman of Hyderabad had opened Jangi Kitab Ghar. (The Hindu 12 December 2021.)
10 Personal interview, 7 December 2021.
11 (a) In the 2017 Punjab assembly elections drugs were a major issue. Captain Amarinder Singh proclaimed to finish this menace in four weeks if Congress (I) forms the government. (b) Drugs issue was the subject of films in Hindi (Udta Punjab) and Punjabi (Mr. and Mrs. 420 Return).
12 Mohammad Irshad from Patiala, a hairdresser by profession, possessing no land was camping at the Singhu border. On asking why he was there? He said: ‘I want to do seva by massaging the old farmers who are fighting for all of us.’ (Trolley Times 22 December 2020.)
13 The government and the Godi media made a mockery of KA: The farmers are not protesting but having a picnic - enjoying pizzas.
14 Ram Singh Rana of Kurukshetra allowed the protesting farmers at the Singhu border to use the rooms, toilets and kitchen of Golden Hut: Real Punjabi Dhaba. The central and state governments harassed him for supporting KA.
15 Trolley Times (22 December 2020) notes: Our jatha (band) from Punjab enters Haryana from Cheeka to reach the Singhu border. We were stopped numerous times by the police, so missed our meals. We reached Habri gurdwara late in the evening and asked for food. The granthi immediately announced to the villagers to prepare langar (food) for us. In no time people including women came running to gurdwara with whatever was available with them. The langar (tea and food) was served within minutes of the announcement.
16 Thandi writes: ‘Media reports and author’s personal conversations with many members of the sangat and committee members at different gurdwaras in the UK and USA indicated that anything from the US, $30,000 to $100,000 was raised by such appeals by each gurdwara over several weeks, especially after the farmers began to consolidate their communal living in camps at Singhu, Tikri and Gazipur.’ (Thandi Citation2022, 273) He mentions Raja Dhaliwal contributed Canadian $50,000, Tut brothers of California sent 30 quintals of almonds and Dubai based S.P.S. Oberoi ‘vowed to help farmers with whatever they deemed as necessary.' (Thandi Citation2022, 284–285, n. 14.)
17 See Mandeep Kaur, Canadian-Punjabi Philanthropy and its Impact on Punjab: A Sociological Study, Ph.D. thesis (unpublished) submitted to Punjabi University, Patiala, 2011.
18 A 24-page booklet specifies that in the last four years of his previous term (2014–2019) prime minister (Modi) went abroad 41 times touring 55 countries over 155 days spending Rs. 355 crores (3.5 billion) from the state exchequer. Ambani and Adani accompanied him. They signed 18 agreements with 16 countries. Of these 13 deals (saude)/agreements (samjhaute) were made by Adani and five by Ambani. BKU Ekta (Ugrahan) (2021, 21–22.)
19 Ambani’s wealth surged by 73 percent or by Rs. 2,77,700 crores to Rs. 6,58,400 crores in the last 12 months earning Rs. 90 crores per hour since Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 (BusinessToday.In) (Accessed 21.02.2022) Adani’s net worth was US $4.91 billion in March 2020 which reached the US $83.89 billion in 20 months, an increase of 1808 percent. (India.com BusinessDesk, 25 November 2021.) (Accessed 21.02.2022.)
20 see Parsashan valon kisan morcha chukvaun da yatan, Punjabi Tribune, 30 May 2021.
21 (a) ‘Seven months on, Adani Group shuts down dry port at Kila Raipur’, Hindustan Times, 2 August 2021. (b) On 31 July 2021, the martyrdom day of Shaheed Udham Singh, farmers organized ‘Kisan Sansad’ (Farmers’ parliament) at the gates of dry port singing – Beh ke dekh sarkare, Babe sansad launde ne, parodying Gurdas Mann’s popular number. ‘Khushak bandargah agge bazurgan ne layi “kisan sansad”’, Punjabi Tribune, 1 August 2021.(c) Adani silo near Moga gheraoed by kisans has a storage capacity of 2,00,000 metric tons. Other silos in the country have annual storage capacity of 5,75,000 metric tons which is expected to be raised to two million metric tons by 2022. These are linked to Mundra seaport in Gujrat through a double railway line. All operations of loading-unloading etc. are automated and labour free. (BKU Ekta (Ugrahan) 2021.) (d) Why direct link with seaport? International marketing for more profit.
22 Ugrahan reports, that preparations for the march to Delhi have obtained tremendous support following women’s demonstrations and jaggo marches in 800 villages across 15 districts of Punjab. The youth took out candle marches. About 3,00,000 women, youth and kisan-mazdoors participated in these marches. ‘Do Lakh kisan karange Dilli vall kooch – Ugrahan’, Surkh Leeh, November-December 2020, p. 44.
23 A farmer had four sons who often quarrelled amongst them. One day he called them and gave a stick to each one with a word to break that. Each son took no time to do so. Then, he gave a bundle of four sticks to the youngest son and asked him to break it. He could not. Subsequently, each son was tried including the eldest one. All failed. Then father advised them to remain united for prosperity and strength against enemies.
24 (a) Lawyers provided free legal aid to farmers against whom government/other agencies slapped criminal charges of various types. Hindustan Times (14 March 2021) reports, ‘2 FIRs against farmers for constructing illegal houses, digging borewell’ at Kundli (Singhu border) at the instance of NHAI. (b) Prawesh Lama: ‘Lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, Gurmukh Singh, 80, and Jeet Singh, 70, are the oldest among the 122 people arrested by Delhi Police for the violence.’ (Hindustan Times 6 February 2021.) (c) A Patiala advocate, J.S. Jindu published 10,000 copies of a 32-page booklet in Punjabi and Hindi, Manusheya ka roti se rishta todne wale teen krishi qanoonon ki viyakhya, lekha-jokha aur sameeksha, Florid Print and Pack Pvt. Ltd., Patiala, nd.
25 (a) Kisan morche de ang-sang Punjabi lekhak, Surjit Judge, Punjabi Tribune, 5 December 2021.(b) Kaav-shastar (kisani sangharsh vishesh ank), January-March 2021.
26 5,000 ex-army men returned their medals by December 2020. They target 25,000 by March 2021.
27 Three anthems each involving numerous singers were played all over.
28 ‘The central government has filed legal complaints against the songs.’ ‘YouTube pulls down songs on farm protest’, The Tribune, 7 February 2021.
29 It records 41 million views on YouTube. Also, Money Aujla’s Kudi London ton Aayi lagdi.
30 Press Trust of India (24.5.2019) reports ‘With only 5 Lok Sabha seats, Left Front hits historic low’ in 2019 parliament elections.
31 Hindustan Times, 30 December 2021 reports 19 kisan unions were battle-ready, nine opposed to electoral politics and five were fence-sitters.
32 Later in a television interview, Tikait commented: ‘Sadak se nikle jan andolan ne teeno qanoon ek hi din mein dono jaghon se paas karva diye.’ The peoples’ strong movement coerced the government to get Three Laws approved by the two houses of the parliament in a single day.
33 Rajewal represented SKM and was opposed to contesting elections during KA. After the repeal of laws, his political ambition to be the chief minister’s face in the Punjab assembly elections (February 2022) got aroused. He formed Samyukt Sanjha Morcha (SSM), a conglomerate of some kisan unions.
34 Chaduni is chief of BKU (Haryana). He was ever interested in politics. He launched Bharatiya Arthik Party at Ludhiana for ‘Mission Punjab 2022’ to intervene in Punjab elections to form ‘kisan-mazdoor sarkar’ (government of the peasant and labour). He was to be the chief minister’s face. He was expelled for a week by SKM. After the laws were repealed, he formed Samyukt Sangharsh Party. There was a tussle with Rajewal on grounds of seat-sharing. See Hindustan Times, 10 August 2021. They together contested 117 seats and lost all.
35 The Indian media besides ‘godi’ labelling was also called Corporate Media ke Khabri Channel (News channels of the corporate media), Bhajpai (BJP’s) social media etc.
36 A peaceful dharna started on 15 December 2019 protesting against the CAA passed on 11 December 2019 by the parliament. The ruling party tried to malign it. It was lifted finally on 24 March 2020 under the pretext of lockdown/curfew due to Covid-19. (Business Standard 1 February 2020.)
37 For instance, ‘Indefatigable’, a full-page article in ‘Magazine’, The Hindu, 6 June 2021.
38 (a) Ranjit Bawa, Punjab bolda; Ammy Virk-Diljit Dosanjh, Kangana v/s Farmers; Bibi Veerpal Kaur, Kangana chhittar bhaldi phirdi etc.(b). An ex-army man from Amloh ran a tea langar at Singhu displaying a banner: Chah badi tatti’ai, Kangana kapatti’ai. Tea is very hot, and Kangana is malicious.
39 Addressing a huge rally in Muzaffarnagar (UP), Tikait ‘invoked communal amity, he raised the slogan “Allahu Akbar” from the stage and the participants responded with “Har Mahadev”. He said his father Mahendra Singh Tikait often used these two slogans … to infuse a joint sense of purpose.’ (Hindustan Times 6 September 2021).