Of Protests, Heart Attack And Success: 74-Year-Old Farmer Recalls Her Journey From Amritsar To Singhu

Mission Impossible

When the three farm laws were passed last year, I too, like all other farmers in the country, tried to make sense of the heavily worded and voluminous text which laid out the legislations. News had started to trickle in about anger within the farming community over the three laws, which were said to be loaded against us and gave big corporates a free pass to run roughshod over the peasants. Community leaders in our own village in Amritsar explained in detail how the new laws were extremely harmful to our interests. I realised that these were black laws and we had to oppose them.  

Over the next few months, I saw protests swell in size and strength—from street-corner sit-ins to occupying train tracks to the borders of Delhi, our brave farmers took the battle right to the seat of power. It was then that I made up my mind—I decided to join the protests at Singhu. I am 74, and my son was mortified at my decision. But despite his well-intentioned efforts to change my mind, I arrived at Singhu on a bitter cold December morning last year.

Border Battle

I had no idea what I was doing. But, as I made new friends and found strength amid our community of farmers, it became clear to me that there was no going back: we had to stay put till the government took back the laws.  

I found shelter in one of the tents pitched at the protest site. There were many women. Entire families had shifted from villages to the protest site. This was like no other protest I had ever seen or heard of. I participated in the protests every day, and addressed my fellow-protesters from the dais. Winter had fully set in  by then and many of the protesters faced health complications due to the harsh weather. Tragedy struck often, as many protesters died over the next few months. But their sacrifice only steeled my resolve. I decided to stay and fight on. No matter how hard it became. We Punjabis are born fighters. We don’t leave the battlefield.

Minor Setback

But the best laid of plans often go awry. About four months after my arrival at Singhu, I developed chest pains which only seem to increase every passing day. As medical aid at the camp did not ease my pain, doctors who were offering voluntary services at the protest site referred me to the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences Rohtak. They discovered that I had suffered a heart attack. A couple of fellow-farmers from the protest site accompanied me to the hospital where I remained admitted for several days.

At one point of time, I even felt that I might not survive. But doctors took very good care and nursed me back to health. After I was discharged, my son insisted that I should go back to my village. But I refused straightaway. The battle was not over yet.

Long Way To Go

Now that the government has announced withdrawal of the laws, I am happy. But at the same time, we are keeping our fingers crossed. Till the time the laws are repealed in Parliament, our celebrations can wait. I am not a big fan of this government as it has a history of  making promises it has not kept. Just like the elusive Rs 15 lakh every voter was promised some years back.

We also understand that the government had political compulsions in rolling back the three laws—the forthcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. But if the government thinks it can fool us, it is wrong. Even if they repeal these laws, we are not going to go back home.  We will stay here till our other demands are met. We have won the first round, and we believe this has paved the way for our victory on all other issues.   

(This appeared in the print edition as "Protest Diary")

(As told to Jeevan Prakash Sharma) 

Jasbir Kaur is a farmer from Amritsar