Women take centre stage at Sangrur protest

Tribune News Service

Parvesh Sharma

Sangrur, October 13

As harvesting of paddy is underway and men are busy in the fields, women have started outnumbering men at the indefinite protest launched under the banner of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), near Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence on Patiala Road.

Women protesters said the year-long stir on the borders of New Delhi helped them in gaining indepth knowledge about the farming issues.

Jagir Kaur, a senior citizen, said, “We suffered huge losses due to repeated crop failure. We have not received any financial assistance from the government despite repeated crop assessment. Every crop loss pushes us further under a debt trap.”

Men busy in fields

On Thursday, three women accompanied me for the first time. Men are busy in the fields. Like me, others are also trying to convince maximum number of women to join the protest. —Balbir Kaur, protester

The protesters said they had all details of crop losses and other issues affecting the farming community, including land acquisition for various road projects, being done at different rates.

Jasvir Kaur, another protester, said, “The Centre is acquiring fertile land in various villages for the Delhi-Katra Expressway, but farmers are being offered different rates. Some farmers got Rs 92 lakh per acre, others Rs 72 lakh and many received Rs 66 lakh per acre. It’s unacceptable and we will intensify our agitation over the issue.” A majority of women reach the protest site after completing their household chores in the morning.

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