Farm women of Punjab launch Mahila Kisan Union

Jalandhar, March 8

Having realised their strength in the year-long farm stir at Delhi border and the need to have a separate union, women farmers of the state have set up the Mahila Kisan Union (MKU) today.

The MKU was formally launched by Rajwinder Kaur Raju, who would lead it as its state president. A 42-year-old farmer from Nangal Shama village, Raju had been doing the spadework of the MKU since January.

Raju said, “Despite being a part of women wing of various existing unions, we were sidelined and our demands were always ignored. So, we felt the need to have a separate union of women farmers and farm labourers. We will also form the district-level units.”

She said, “The farm stir was the time when our role came to the fore for the first time. The agitation gave us a chance to stay outside for so long. Fellow women farmers from Doaba, Majha and Malwa, came together for the first time on a common platform. Our presence remained huge and we successfully organised a ‘mahila sadan’ on March 8 last year, wherein we had resolved to launch an all-women farm union.”

She said, “There are various basic issues which we are fighting for. When we go to mandis with our produce, we do not even have the facility of separate washrooms for women. Some of our women farm labourers who work in the fields have children going along. There are lactating mothers too. They at least need to have separate sheds to feed their babies.”

Raju said the MKU would work along with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha.