The Karnataka Janashakti activists along with the activists from several other organisations were part of the delegation of more than one hundred activists from southern states, who were at Delhi orders to show solidarity with the ongoing farmers’ movement. The farmers have been protesting for ninety six days for today at four borders of Delhi (Singhu, Tikri, Shajanpur and Ghazipur) against the three infamous farm laws brought in by Narendra Modi led Bharatiya Janata Party, central government.
The delegation from the south visited these protest sites to support the demands of the farmers to roll back farm laws and to legalise Minimum support price. This delegation also aimed to contribute towards busting the myth popularised by the central government and several media houses that it is only farmers from Haryana and Punjab who are protesting.
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The delegates from Karnataka returned to Bangalore this morning. Sirimane Nagaraj, a senior activist who was also part of this delegation said, ‘we participated in the ongoing farmers’ protest just for a week. We were a witness to and learnt very little. After the Indian independence struggle the farmers’ movement is the most determined movement. Farmers have decided not to move from the borders until their demands have been met.’
Nagaraj also appealed to every citizen to visit the protest sites as such egalitarian protests, coming together of thousands of people overcoming difference, he said, is very rare to come about. He also observed that though the central government was converting these protest sites into war zones by deploying military at the protest sites, farmers have resorted to peaceful protest.
Sarovar Benkikere, state general secretary of Karnataka Vidyarthi Sanghatane said, ‘farmers’ movement has paved path to the oppressed communities, unemployed, poor and women who were lost under the current problems. The farmers’ movement is showing us what India actually represents. We can see Indians coming together irrespective of caste and religious identities.’
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The farmers movement are working towards upholding the Constituion. This movement is not only of the farmers but of everyone in this country who eats. Sarovar said they have learnt about what humanity and love is from the farmers’ movement. He noted that the protesting farmers are strong and determined. Farmers have won this struggle. There is no second thought about it. The government is concerned about its reputation and is refusing to recognise this win. There comes a time for sure when the government would have no other option but to acknowledge this winning, Sarovar remarked.
Chief Secretery of Karnataka Janashakti, Mallige Sirimane observed that farmers protesting at Delhi borders are fighting for the future of coming generations. Farmers, she noted, ‘are coming together and building a strong movement by contributing all of their savings just for our future generation. This movements and their’s alone. We are just representatives but the movement is only of farmers. We are grateful about getting a chance to contribute to the movement in small way. Their movement has filled us with a new hope and energy.’
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Mallige said, ‘we learnt the importance of building a strong movement in south India. We are now determined to doing this. We shall involve ourselves completely in the movement. There is a farmers’ mahapanchayat that is being organised in Shivamogga on March 20, 2021 and farmers’ protest marches in North Karnataka on March 21 and 22. We appeal to all of you to participate in these.’
The reality of Delhi borders is very different from what we get to see in the media, noted Girish, a youth activist from Kodagu. He further noted that the government is harassing the protesting farmers. By not providing them with water, electricity, internet and other basic necessities, they are purposefully making it difficult to the farmers. He said, ‘It is at these protest sites that I learnt this government is sacrificing farmers to for the sake of capitalists like Ambani and Adani.’
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