The following is an unpublished transcript of an interview the author did for a UK-based TV channel that covers issues of interest to the worldwide Sikh diaspora. It concerns three pieces of farm legislation in India that were repealed in late 2021 after a prolonged protest by India’s farmers that gained global support and recognition. Although the interview took[Read More...]
The recent repeal of the farm laws by the central government sets an example which re-assures the power in people’s voices entrusted in democratic values, processes and practices. It is a win to celebrate and remember that such authoritarian governance and policies can be overthrown with people’s solidarity, vision, perseverance, and resilience. In India, the farmers and their families protested[Read More...]
A message from Workers Peasants Unity 11.12.2021 (a rough translation of the Page 1 article of Ei Muhurte Kichhu Bhavna Dec21-Jan22) 381 days. More than 725 martyrs. So, what did we see in the year-long battle? “Modi-Shah-BJP-RSS are unbeatable. Whatever they say are final. Modi ne kiya hain toh kuch soch samajh ke hi kiya hoga (Modi has done it,[Read More...]
In the past one year, farmers of the country have demonstrated the force of popular determination against an arrogant and defiant government. The farmers’ movement has proved that the revolutionary spirit of the ‘peasant’ had not diminished with the arrival of new networks of capital. It has established that ‘peasant consciousness’ in the country remains intellectually sharp, socially sensitive and[Read More...]
The farmer’s organisations of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha have decided to vacate from the Tikri border and temporarily withdraw the agitation. After a letter from the ruling party it undertook this step. All the leaders of the major farmer’s organisations left no stone unturned, in thanking all the families and persons who volunteered, including those of ruling class parties. The[Read More...]
Repealing farm laws by the central government seems to be a political compulsion for upcoming state assembly elections, particularly in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh as the ruling central government could not popularize politically its agro reform decisions at larger level. Although, the government is well aware of its blunder decisions of farm laws as the long lasting movement against the[Read More...]
In a major victory for the agitating farmers in India, a bill to cancel the three contentious farm laws was passed in record time in both houses of the parliament. The government plans to get it signed by the President by tonight. The Farm Laws Repeal bill was passed in Lok Sabha within four minutes – it was tabled at[Read More...]
A historic Shetkari Kamgar Mahapanchayat took place in yesterday in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on November 28th, with at least 100 organisations coming under one umbrella. Peasants, workers, agricultural labourers, women, youth and students of all religions and castes from all over Maharashtra culminated at the venue, like an army marching in to celebrate the victory in terminating the farmers bills..[Read More...]
BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) commemorated the annual anniversary of Delhi Morcha at Pakaura Chowk, New Delhi with a huge historic public rally, constituting around 50000 persons. A most illustrative example of a festival of the masses and the consistency of revolutionary political practice of the BKU(Ugrahan) who exhibited the spirit of an army battalion. Without doubt one of the most outstanding[Read More...]
On November 19, 2021, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “[W]e have decided to repeal all three agricultural laws.” The prime minister was referring to the three agriculture laws that were rushed through the parliament in 2020. During his speech to announce the rollback, Modi told the farmers that they “should return to [their] homes, fields and to [their] families. Let’s make a[Read More...]
