Drenched but determined: Women stand tall at Samrala’s ‘Jitt Rally’

Clad in yellow dupattas and soaked in resolve, thousands of women farmers stood shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts at Samrala’s grain market today, turning the “Jitt Rally” into a powerful statement of shared struggle and grassroots leadership.

Their presence was not symbolic — it was central. From stirring langar to raising slogans, women led from the front, undeterred by the persistent rain that swept across the region.

“I walked here with my brothers, not behind them,” said Manjeet Kaur from Ghulal village, her voice firm despite the drizzle. “This is our fight too,” she said. Baljit Kaur from Jartauli village echoed the sentiment: “We cooked langar, stood in the rain, and made sure our voices were heard.”

The rally, organised by 32 farmer unions under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), marked a major victory — the withdrawal of the Punjab Government’s controversial land pooling policy.

Rajinder Kaur from Fatehgarh Sahib, who had participated in the Delhi border protests, said, “That experience changed me. Today, I’m here not just as a supporter — but as a farmer, a woman, and a fighter.”

Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Manjit Singh Kadian while addressing participants at the rally emphasised on the strength of collective protest. “Governments must not underestimate the farming community. We resist until our voices are heard,” they said.

“We left our village at sunrise, thinking we’d reach before the speeches began,” said Kuldeep Kaur from Doraha. “But roads were jammed with tractors, buses, and people walking. We were stuck for hours. Still, we didn’t turn back — this rally is about our land, and we had to be here,” she said.

“We didn’t come here just to clap from the sidelines — we came to claim our space,” said Kulwinder Kaur from Rauni village. “This land belongs to all of us. If we don’t stand we’ll be left behind. Rain or no rain, our voice matters,” she said.