FARMER’S PROTEST
By Rishika Verma
New Delhi, 05 February 2021
Earlier this year, the Indian Parliament passed 3 controversial farm bills. Since then, lakhs of
farmers across the country have voiced their strong dissent and taken to the streets in solidarity.
I, along with my team, spent a day at the Singhu Border, the epicenter of these protests, to
witness this historic movement.
We found out from our sources that the stretch of the protest had become 30-40 km long,
although initial reports from the mainstream media suggested otherwise. People could be seen
distributing food from the Langar (the community kitchen of the Gurudwara). People had
brought their families along as well and had essentially been living on the streets and sleeping
in their trucks.
It was most touching to see the spirit of service among people, that could distinctly be seen
despite the encumbrances and their zest and enthusiasm added an extra touch to their
demonstration. I strongly feel more mainstream media houses should be covering the niceties
of the bills and the protests and they should be telecast so that more people are privy to the
kind of tribulations these people are having to face.
For the uninitiated, the farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been protesting for 2-4 months,
since the month of June when the ordinance was passed, and later, the bills were passed in the
Parliament which raised concerns and fears among the farmers. They also tried talking to the
ministry, but, so far, these talks have been inconclusive.