Women protesters make their present felt

Assume leadership roles, air views on Bills vociferously

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, September 21

Farmers have been protesting against the farm Bills at Badal village here since March 15, and the en masse participation of women from day one has caught everyone’s attention. They are making their presence felt by assuming leadership roles, addressing gatherings and being vocal about how the Bills would impact the farming community in the long run.

“Marda pakaiyan rotiyan, jhande aurata ne morche ‘ch gadd te. (Men are preparing chapatis and women have become the flag bearer of protest),” says Paramjit Kaur Pitho, a widow, who along with her 16-year-old son is here to protest against the NDA government.

Women are not only participating in large numbers, but also addressing the protesters to keep their morale up.

“We, women, appeal to people that suicide is not the right path to get rid of problems. Only cowards opt this way. If one has to get rid of any problem, he/she will have to fight it out,” asserts Paramjit, who is also the Rampura block president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan).

Another farmer protester, Harpreet Kaur Jethuke, 40, says, “I have been associated with the BKU since my mother-in-law passed away in 2012. Since then, I have participated in almost every protest of the union and appealed to the women to come forward for the common cause. The result is here for all of us to see.”

Harjinder Kaur Bindu, general secretary, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), along with state secretary Shingara Singh Mann, is another leading figure in the protest here.

Women protesters say even though they have families, household work and the fields to tend to, they are protesting shoulder to shoulder with men as they felt strongly for the farming issues, especially suicides. Many of them say they are ready for the long haul.”

Lachman Singh Sewewala, general secretary, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, says: “Many farm labourer unions have a large number of women members who are ready to hit the road for a cause. The participation of youngsters too has increased in the recent past. They are working as social media managers to spreading the information related to the protest quickly.”