In photos: Over a lakh farmers, labourers pledge unity at Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Maha rally at Barnala

Joginder Singh Ugrahan, the head of the BKU (EU), addressing the Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Maha rally at Barnala on 21 February. “Modi says he has a 56-inch chest, but we have proven him wrong,” he said. “Modi is already defeated; he has been wrestled down by the Punjabis.”

CK Vijayakumar, Prabhjit Singh Photographs by CK Vijayakumar

22 February, 2021

Women leading the sloganeering at the Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Maha rally. “This government wants to run the country according to the Manusmriti,” Bindu, the most prominent woman farmers’ leader, said. “They want to keep us women under their feet, but we won’t let them.”

Over one lakh farmers and farm labourers attended the Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Maha rally at Punjab’s Barnala city to protest the Narendra Modi government’s 2020 farm laws. It was organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan)—the largest by far of the many farmers’ unions protesting the laws. The Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, an organisation representing landless farm labourers was prominent at the rally. Both labourers and farmers came from across the Malwa region—including the districts of Barnala, Sangrur, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Bathinda, Faridkot, Mansa and Ludhiana. The rally was meant to build solidarity between landowning farmers and farm labourers, whose unity, several speakers at the rally said, the government was attempting to break.

Ramanpreet Kaur, a 23-year-old from Bilaspur, waves the flag of the BKU (EU).

The rally was meant to build solidarity between landowning farmers and farm labourers, whose unity, several speakers said, the government was attempting to break.

Prominent farmer leaders including the BKU (EU)’s Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Harinder Bindu; Lachhman Singh Sewewala, the general secretary of PKMU; Balbir Singh Rajewal, who heads the BKU (Rajewal); and Ruldu Singh, who heads the Punjab Kisan Sabha, joined the rally. Ugrahan leads the sit-in protest at the Tikri border site, while Rajewal represents the largest union at the Singhu border protest site. Thousands of women and children also joined the rally which was at the largest foodgrain mandi in Barnala.

Kanwar Grewal, a prominent Punjabi folk singer, singing at the rally. Referring to the many farmers who had died since the beginning of the protests Grewal sang a Punjabi verse that translates to, “The sky is looking down at all those who were martyred during this movement. The parents who have lost children are still searching for them.”

A man holds aloft the flag of the BKU (EU), the largest by far of the many farmers’ unions protesting the farm laws, at the rally.

“The division the government has tried to create between farmers and labourers has failed.” Rajewal said. Pointing to a poster behind the stage with the title of the rally, he said, “Like the title of this rally, this struggle is firstly for and led by the mazdoor”—referring to landless labourers—“and then followed by the farmers. It is farm labourers who will first be adversely affected by these laws.” Sewewala said that nearly 33 percent of the population of Punjab is farm labourers, mostly from the Dalit community. They stand fully behind the protests, he added. “We will never allow anyone to decide what should be sown, this is our land and we will continue ruling it,” he said. “This government wants to run the country according to the Manusmriti,” Bindu, the most prominent woman farmers’ leader, said. “They want to keep us women under their feet, but we won’t let them.”

Hardeesh Kaur, a farmer, at the rally. Thousands of women and children also joined the rally which was held at the largest foodgrain mandi in Barnala.

Singhara Singh, a 60-year-old farmer, at the rally. “Everybody is here,” he said. “Farmers, labourers, anyone who eats rotis is here.”

Many speakers said that the police intimidation would not end the protests. “I appeal to the people of Punjab, if you ever get notices of the Delhi police, for the events of Republic day or otherwise, burn them,” Rajewal said. “There is no need to go to the Delhi police, bring the notices to us, and our legal team will handle your cases. Our legal team have been able to get over 40 people out on bail out of the more than 100 who were arrested by the Delhi police. Neither the Delhi police or Punjab police will dare enter your villages to arrest you.”

Ramandeep and Harpreet Singh from Sumiya village, in Bhatinda district, with their two four-year-old daughters, Sanjhmeet and Navsureet, at the rally. Sanjhmeet said, “Modi is taking our farms away.”

Kuldeep Muddoke, a 50-year-old farm labourer from Muddoke village, at the rally. “These laws are bad for farmers, but will hit us farm labourers even worse,” he said.

Rajewal said that the farmers’ leaders had argued every clause of the bills with representatives of the government at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan. “The government are not able to argue against anything we say, these laws are indefensible,” he said. “Amit Shah”—the union home minister—“agreed to our every demand one step short of repealing the laws. It is only because of their ego they aren’t repealing the laws. They are scared that if they give in to us, every other group they try to oppress will stand up stronger.” Sewewala also said that when the laws are fully imposed, panchayat land will be the first to be encroached by the corporates.

An elderly woman watches the rally. More than one lakh farmers and farm labourers joined the rally.

Women hold their fists up in support of the rally. Ugrahan, while addressing the rally, said, “The government are taking your mother from you”—referring to land—“know they are taking the roti from your mouths.”

Kanwar Grewal, a prominent folk singer, led the crowds in singing ballads against the farm laws. Referring to the many farmers who had died since the beginning of the protests Garewal sang a Punjabi verse that translates to, “The sky is looking down at all those who were martyred during this movement. The parents who have lost children are still searching for them.” The last speaker was Ugrahan who told the crowd, “The government are taking your mother from you”—referring to land. “Know they are taking the roti from your mouths. The government has no sympathy for us. This is not your government it is a fascist regime which only speaks out in support of the corporates.” He added, “Modi says he has a 56-inch chest, but we have proven him wrong. Modi is already defeated; he has been wrestled down by the Punjabis.” The rally ended with a joint call from Ugrahan and Rajewal for farmers and farm labourers from across Punjab to reach the Delhi border sit-ins on 27 February, to show the government the strength of the people of the state.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union as a wing of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan). The two organisations are not directly affiliated to one another, though they do often work closely together. The Caravan regrets this error.