100 days or 500 days, there is no returning until the Farm Laws are withdrawn, say farmers at Singhu

Singhu Border has been the epicentre of farmers protest for the past 100 days, yet the atmosphere remains the same as it was on the first day of the protest on 26 November if not livelier. The farmers tents are still there, as are the tractors, trolleys, langar, slogans, makeshift hospitals. But above all, there is still the same courage and determination amongst the protesters to force the central government to take back the three farm laws, and only then would they return to their villages.

Last year, when the protests started, police had blocked all the roads entering Delhi but pedestrians ways were open and personal vehicles were allowed to move. Now barricades have been put up from 4-5 kms ahead of the protest site. We were told that to reach the site we would have to take the village road which we took only to find additional barricading and boulders after covering barely 1.5kms, making it impossible for even battery rikshaws to move. We had to take a 6 kms detour to finally reach the protest site.

We thought there would be very few protesters at the site, owing to such obstacles to reach, but we were wrong. The protest site was alive with the even bigger and more spacious tents, now equipped with foam sheets. The local bazaar which was earlier at a distance is now at the heart of the protests where various vendors are selling things like mobile chargers, shoes, sandals, t-shirts with protest slogans printed on them and so on. Some of them have come from Delhi to set shop and are content with their business.

We found the Kisan Ekta Hospital sprawling across around 3-4 tents equipped with OPD, laboratory, pharmacy along with 8 bed for in-patients care. The medical in charge Dr Avtar Singh told us that he started giving medical care at the protest site along with a few of his friends since November. Later, he set up the hospital with help from Life Care Foundation. “Farmers coming to the protest site mostly have seasonal maladies which are being attended to efficiently by around 3 MBBS doctors full time. In addition, we have specialists from leading hospitals from Delhi consulting with us on serious medical cases,” Dr Singh said.

How is it anti-national to question our own government?

The recent turn of events related to the farmers protest have raised a range of questions. “Is it anti-national to ask question of our own government on relevant issues? Is it acceptable that farmers are being demonized and a smear campaign is being run labelling them terrorist? The government calls us troublemakers and law breakers, but what are they doing when they act in unconstitutional manner? The way these laws have been imposed upon us, how is that justified?” Asked Narinder Singh, a farmer at the site.

Greatest medal would be when farm laws would be withdrawn

S to S (Sirhind to Singhu) Unity Torch Rally, yet another caravan of youth protesters of about 50 women and men just reached the protest site completing a relentless journey of about 200 kms from Sirhind, Punjab to Singhu. Led by Canada residents Karam Bath and Vicky Mann, these youth from Punjab University took off on bicycles or started walking with torches, mobilizing support and raising awareness about the farmers issues on the way. “We wanted to give a message of unity with this march,” said Vicky Mann. “Farmers are the backbone of the nation the nation needs to remember that,” he added. Pinky, a Punjab University student and a sports person joined the march. “I have won many medals in sports activities but the biggest meal would be when the farm laws would be withdrawn,” she said.

A team of volunteers are working day night to ensure the farmers protest goes on peacefully and there are no untoward events. One of the volunteers, Dharmendra Singh have been at the site since 26th November looking after internal disciplinary matters. His parents are back in the village in Punjab and he has not visited them even once in the three months. “This is a fight to protect our lands,” he said explaining his role in the protest.

Did the police action of roadblocks and barricading and the smear campaign on pro-government media channels reduce the participation in the protests? “As soon as the media starts reporting that the numbers at the protest site is thinning, more people pour in at the site and the protests swell up,” said Reju Singh dismissing the fake narratives.

On being asked if there would be any special event or celebrations for the completion of 100 days of protests, Avtar Singh said, “We are not counting days here. It is not somebody’s birthday, that we would celebrate. Be it 100 days or 500 days, we would be here. There is no going back unless the farm laws are withdrawn.