In February, as farmers from Punjab and Haryana set out for Delhi to demand a law guaranteeing minimum support price for agricultural produce, the agitation was met with heavy barricading, police action, shelling of tear gas, and pellet gun firing. At one of the borders, which turned into a protest site, alleged clashes also led to the death of a young farmer.
Three months on, the situation has changed. While the farmers are still camping at the Shambhu border, there is relative calm and the security personnel deployed to stop them from moving towards Delhi have also set up tents at the site.
Kulwinder Singh, a member of the Sher-e-Punjab Kisan Sangathan, says, “We had to go 10-15 kms away to get water so we got a submersible pump installed here. We have also built toilets. Now, Modi ji has to decide how many more toilets will be built here. Whether we have to wait here for five or ten years, we will return only after our demands are fulfilled.”
To battle the heatwave, farmers have installed ACs in some tents, while the others have coolers and fans. Speaking to Newslaundry, a 90-year-old farmer from Tarn Taran said, “If our children lose their livelihood in the future, if our farming is lost, then what is the point of our living?”
About the ongoing elections, one of the farmers said, “We will go back to vote and will vote for whoever we want to. But we will not vote for Modi. Modi has caused us a lot of pain.”
Watch.
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