Chhavi Bhatia
Tikri—“Asi ni mudte. Jitt ke javaange (We aren’t going back till we win),” this sentiment runs through the long stretch of Tikri border where farmers have been protesting since November 26, completing 100th day on March 6. And it runs deep. Lakhs of farmers from Punjab and Haryana who pitched themselves on the Delhi borders in the last leg of 2020, demanding revoking the contentious farm laws are clear that they will remain here, come rain or shine. “Are you aware how cold it was this year? We stayed put despite that, didn’t we? What makes you think our resolution has changed?” asks Sumedh Singh, a peasant from Kharkara village near Meham.
The farmers know that they have been sitting on the roads for over three months now and factoring in the 11 rounds of talks ending into a deadlock, the uphill does not seem to be easing anytime soon. Yet, mentioning the Centre’s proposal to keep the laws on hold for 18 months is met with angry responses. “Repeal and nothing else. We are losing people every day; families are being ruined during the sangharsh. We won’t compromise,” says Baljeet Singh, a Tohana-based peasant. Around 250 people have died since the andolan started to various causes including inclement weather and suicides. Farmers are bitter about it and squarely blame the government. “The government is apathetic. They aren’t willing to listen to us and prolong the protest while our comrades continue to die. No one, including the Prime Minister has issued a single statement expressing their grief over our martyrs,” complains Devender Punia, a protester from Jind, Haryana. He hastens to ask, “Who would wish to leave everything behind and live like a vagabond? Would you want to live or die like this? We will go back the moment the laws are rolled back.”
On the other side of the road, Jarnail Singh of Moga district, Punjab is busy making a list of summer essentials that have been donated in sewa. Fans, water dispensers, filters, water coolers, charpoys are reaching the border: all indicating that the farmers are still here for the long haul. The fighting spirit resonates across young and old, the hundredth day not a deterrent but a matter of pride. Sau din ho gay aaye nu(We have been here for the last 100 days). We are in chardhi kalan. Ladai saukhi ni hundi. Takda rehna painda te asi bilkul takde aan(It is not an easy battle to wage. One has to be strong and we are in high spirits),” smiles Mahender Singh of Kaithal as he gurgles into the hookah.
The crowd may seem to have thinned but the resolution is as fortified. “Harvesting is around the corner so some of our friends have gone to the village. They will harvest our fields too along with theirs and come back. Replacement jathas(groups) from here are doing the field work,” Harvinder Singh of Ludhiana tries to put things in perspective. The plan is similar to what was done in November when hundreds of thousands of peasants landed on the Delhi borders during sowing season. Those who stayed back ploughed the protesters’ fields while some took a brief break from the morcha to do it themselves. They will be back in a week’s time, the young lad asserts. “Farmers are very patient inherently. We will go when Modi agrees. Nahin toh baithe hain tab tak(Otherwise we are sitting pretty here till then),says Jaiparkash Ahlawat from Fatehabad.
