Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Indian farmers stand in defiance of new laws - 'we'll never leave the battlefield'

Indian farmers stand in defiance of new laws - 'we'll never leave the battlefield'

A mini township with hundreds of tractors and trucks have blocked a main highway, almost choking India's capital.

"Even if I die, even if I am beheaded, or killed by bullets - I will not back down. Our community will never leave the battlefield and run away."

"We will take our rights back, these laws have to go," Gurjit Singh, an ex-military man and now a farmer, tells Sky News.

He is among thousands of farmers, mainly from the northern states of Punjab and Haryana, protesting the three laws passed by the Modi government in September.


Gurjit Singh says he wants to take his rights back


Denied entry into Delhi to protest, they have all camped on most of the major roads and highways leading into the city.

They have been supported by farmer organisations from other states who are joining in.

The Singhu border is the nerve centre and has the largest numbers of farmers gathered.

It is like a mini township with hundreds of tractors and trolleys, pick-up trucks and vehicles that have blocked this main highway, almost choking the capital.

It is one of the largest farmer protests in recent times. The government has been taken by surprise by the resilience, tenacity, and support for the farmers, not only from within but also from other parts of the world, due the large Sikh diaspora worldwide.

Farmer Sukhmer Singh Cheema, 82, from Punjab says: "In my lifetime I have never seen such a protest. Despite the pandemic, cold weather we have camped here against the laws, it's not only for ourselves but for every section of this country."


Clinics have sprung up at the protest site


Langars - or free communal kitchens - have sprung up everywhere providing hot meals, tea, coffee and snacks to thousands of protestors and anyone who wants them. The Sikh community is known for such services to society.

There are a number medical stations manned by doctors, nurses and volunteers who provide free consultations, medicines, and masks.

Many protestors are elderly - camping out in the bitter cold in their makeshift homes on tractors and in tents.

Pritam Singh heads the United Sikh aid organisation conducting a blood donation camp here.

"There are far more people donating blood than we can handle, we asked them to come back tomorrow. They all want to serve humanity even while protesting," he says.


Protesters are continuing to donate blood


Farmers argue the three federal laws will deregulate crop pricing and eventually dismantle the minimum support price system that guarantees them an income and leave them vulnerable to large private companies.

The government argues the laws will abolish middlemen and improve farmers' incomes, as they will have a wider market to sell to.

The farmers here are not convinced of the laws, nor the government's intentions of doing it during the coronavirus pandemic.

There is a gaping trust deficit which is widening by the day. Talks between leaders of the farmer unions and the government, led by the agricultural minister, have so far had no results, as both sides have dug into their demands.

Amarjit Singh, a farmer from Haryana, says: "These laws are like a warrant against farmers and the more the government delays in revoking them, the more it is harming itself. We will fight till our end."

Security at the Singhu border is unprecedented. Shipping containers, trucks filled with earth, rows of concrete blocks chained to each other topped with razor wire, anti-riot and water cannon vehicles and many buses are stationed here.


Protesters say they have enough supplies to last them several months


ll manned by a posse of Rapid Action Force - a specialised paramilitary wing that deals with riots and crowd control backed with a large number of Delhi Police personnel.

The farmers say they are here for a long haul and have provisions and resources to last a few months. They have developed a relay system where a few of them head back to tend to their fields and homes while a new group take their place with new vigour.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×