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The growing force of farmers’ movement across India received a fresh reinforcement of support by civic organisations by teachers, students, peace organisations, from various sections of society by November 30, 2020. Workers, doctors, lawyers, students, teachers, human rights leaders and Dalit organisations have all held demonstrations or published open letters detailing their support for the withdrawal of the three agriculture laws.
This support further steels the argument put forward by farmers across India that their demands do not hold any religious or political motive. The movement that began in Punjab has branched out to various parts of India all of whom denounced the Modi government for the enforcement of these anti-farmer-dubbed laws.
Founder and Nation Convener of the Safai Karamchari Andolan – a human rights organisation that works for the eradication of manual scavengers – Bezwada Wilson expressed his solidarity with farmers to SabrangIndia.
“Wherever I go, I am trying to assert my solidarity with Indian farmers and their cause. The present government is trying to criminalise them by introducing notions of Khalistani motives. These things are only being said to undermine the farmers’ movement since the Union government has no defence,” he said.
Since the beginning of the nationwide protest march, “godi-media” or the regime’s lapdogs in newsrooms have been trying to show the movement as one that is politically-motivated. However, the solidarity expressed by human rights organisations such as the United Against Hate (UAH) has rid the movement of any such rumours.
On November 29, activist and member of UAH Shariq Husain distributed food among farmers stopped at the Singhu border.
सिंघू बार्डर पहुँच गया हूँ यहां बताया जा रहा है 3 लाख किसान भाई जमा हैं! pic.twitter.com/VJkOmGsfYu
— Shariq husain (@Shariqhusain99) November 29, 2020
Following the permission to protest granted by the central government, the organisation has planned a similar initiative at the Nirankari grounds in Burari with the help of several nearby mosques. Members said they will provide three meals daily to farmers who are the annadaatas of the country.
Muslim organisations like the Masjid-e-Quba in Jalandhar, Punjab stood with farmers over the last week, just as Sikh farmers had stood alongside Muslim organisation during the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests by providing langar.
Similarly, Punjab Treasurer of Democratic Teachers Front Ashwani Awasthi told SabrangIndia that the grievances of the farmers extend to various sections of society.
“Many of the children that come to our school are farmers’ children. How can we not support the very people with whom we spend out working hours. Moreover, we are also farmers’ children. Most of our teachers come from farms so if any government does any wrong then we will raise our voices against the injustice,” he said.
Awasthi also mentioned that the government continued to demand fees from children while failing to provide proper prices for crops. Members of his organisation mobilised at the local level to talk to people regarding the merits and demerits of the new laws. He also dismissed the Khalistani allegations on Punjab farmers.
“Punjab farmers are not Khakistani. This is simply a scheme to break hindu-Sikh brotherhood,” he said.
Many teachers also marched with farmers towards Delhi while others started funds for farmers. Further, government school teachers are going village to village to mobilise youngsters.
Along with Punjab’s teachers, students’ union members from across the country also voiced their support at the local level.
Chennai District Secretary Chandru said that members of the Students Federation of India (SFI) held demonstrations in Salem, Chennai on November 29 to decry the anti-democratic move of the central government.
“We called for similar protests all over Tamil Nadu which will continue for the entirety of this week. We support the peasant movement and denounce the implementation of these laws that are not useful for common people and are clearly against farmers,” he said.
SFI National Convener Dipshita said many underprivileged members of the organisation belong to farmers’ families. For this reason, members understand the impact of these laws in the educational sphere as well.
“We have planned a march in Kolkata in coming days as well. For now, we are trying to provide medical help to farmers who have arrived in Delhi. Many SFI students also joined them in their march towards Delhi,” said Dipshita.
Yet another employees organisation Sarva Karamchari Sangh (SKS) in Haryana, expressed their solidarity by staging a march in support of the farmers on Sunday. They condemned the use of physical violence against farmers. Members also provided medical aid and food facilities for farmers at the city border.
SKS State General Secretary Satish Kumar Sethi appealed to the government to realise farmers’ demand.
“We also ask for a loan waiver and the enforcement of the Swami Commission report suggestions of a C-2 formula to help improve the state of farmers in the country,” he said.
Even women’s organisations wrote a joint open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that the government refrain from its brutal behaviour towards farmers. In their letter, they highlighted the adverse impact of the three anti-farmer laws on rural women.
“Women, even though not recognised as farmers, are equally engaged in agricultural operations. A large number of women still remain as “invisible contributors”. The role of women in the agricultural sector cannot be ignored as they comprise 33% of the agriculture labour force and 48% of the self-employed farmers,” they said.
Recent reports have also talked of solidarity from NRI organisations in countries like Italy, Canada among others for the repeal of the three agriculture laws.
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