Farmers have started a ‘Human Cost of Farmers Protest’ blog website to keep a record of all people who were martyred during the farmers struggle, said the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) organisation on January 13, 2021, 50 days after they began their sit-in protests around Delhi in November.
The SKM said that News of martyred farmers from various protest sites is not reaching national and international platforms.
“This signifies the insensitivity of the government that farmers are dying on the borders of Delhi and the other sites of protests in the country. The government’s disregard for this undoubtedly exposes their inhuman faces,” it said in a press release.
To honour the martyrs who supported the struggle against the three agriculture laws of the central government – the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance & Farm Services Act, the Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act – volunteers compiled facts and all pieces of information.
On Wednesday, farmer leaders said as many as 120 deaths had been recorded on the website that is updated every day to name each person who died during the movement. The blog may be viewed here: https://
“The separation of all these lives from us is undoubtedly a big loss for us all but the government is still so insensitive that it is not taking up this issue seriously,” said the SKM.
The organisation said that opposition to the farm laws has reached a national-level and farmers are “strict on their demand” for repeal of the laws and the legal right to Minimum Support Price (MSP.)
“Despite many efforts of the government and anti-social elements, we want to tell that without these demands the farmers will not withdraw their strike,” said farmer leaders.
Moreover, they also alleged constant harassment of farmers by police along the Jaipur-Delhi highway. The SKM appealed to police to cooperate with peasants because peacefully demonstrating for their cause is a fundamental right of farmers and Indian citizens.
Farmers in Madhya Pradesh including Bhind and Guna districts, as well as in other states like Maharashtra, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka have been agitating against the laws. Bihar farmers, who have already faced the result of an open market in the agriculture sector, have been protesting against these laws since the beginning.
Meanwhile, Lohri was celebrated at Delhi borders and protest sites everywhere by burning the copies of three farm laws. All farmer leaders at the Singhu border participated and challenged the government by remembering Punjab folk hero Dulla Bhatti.
Accordingly, they also condemned the Supreme Court for questioning women’s participation in farmers protests and asking them “to go home.” The SKM said women’s contribution in agriculture is incomparable and that “this movement is also a movement of women.” Members called it shameful that women’s agency is being questioned.
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