Just when the crowds appeared to be thin at farmers' protests across the Delhi borders, unions have planned new strategies to mobilise more people and keep it from fizzling out.?Farmers fighting against the three controversial farm laws have now started preparing themselves for a long battle.
With a deep-rooted sentiment among the farmers that the struggle is meant to ※save their land§, while terming it their ※mother§, they seem committed to continue their agitation. We look at the preparations being made by the farmers at ground level amid ongoing standoff between the government and farmers.
The focus is now on holding massive rallies across states to garner support for the agitation. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait had planned mahapanchayats across the country. Since one week, he has been attending a series of such meetings in Haryana, Maharashtra and Rajasthan and will attend the remaining ones in the coming week.
"At first, the agitation was centralized at the borders, keeping in mind the stubbornness of the government," said Jagtar Singh Bajwa, a spokesperson of the Ghazipur Protest Committee. "The farmer leaders are changing their strategy as well, so that the protest can reach every house in every village. We are holding Mahapanchayats at different locations," he added.
Taking initiatives on their own, now the farmers, at their ※kunba§ level, have started setting up almost permanent structures at Delhi borders to continue the agitation for months. A popular term in villages, ※kunba§ consists of a group of extended family members. The farmers collect donations 〞 ranging from 200 to 500 〞 from each of the families of the kunbas concerned to set up their structure.?
With these donations, they ensure regular supply of ration for the agitators. Kunba members have planned to stay there as per rotation so that a family doesn＊t feel the burden of long agitation. During the approaching harvesting season of crops, remaining families of the kunba will also look after the fields of those farmers who will be camping at the borders during that phase.
To ensure that financial constraints don＊t halt their movement, farmers have decided to utilise their resources judicially. Instead of hiring vehicles to go to Delhi borders, they have started using their personal vehicles to ferry farmers. Such vehicles are used turn by turn by the farmers to continue the movement. Those farmers who don＊t have vehicles contribute fuel charges to the owner of the vehicle. These days, the movement of a large number of private vehicles from Punjab and Haryana with flags of farmer outfits or Tricolour can be seen at Patiala-Jind-Delhi national highway.
The long farmer agitation has prepared an army of farmer activists in Haryana and Punjab villages with continuous activities. Sikkim Nain from a village of Haryana＊s Jind district was not associated with any farmer union before the ongoing farmer agitation. With her association with the agitation especially to inspire women to learn tractor driving ahead of Republic Day＊s ※tractor parade§, Sikkim has been nominated district president of BKU＊s women wing in Jind.
Like the farmers＊ presence at Delhi border, dharnas at toll plazas on national highways are a backbone of the ongoing agitation. These dharnas are full of colour with folk singers singing ragnis and elders using hookahs there. A large number of women too turn to these dharnas daily. All these grab the attention of those who move on national highways. Further, toll free movement of vehicles of agitators to Delhi borders too has energised the ongoing farmer movement. Keeping in view these circumstances, the agitators have set up almost permanent structures at the toll plazas with a feeling that the agitation will continue for long.
Over the last 2 months, talks with the government have been at a deadlock, with neither side ready to back down. The farmers have refused to accept the government's offer of an 18-month freeze on the three laws while negotiations continue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said the proposal stands.? ? ? ?