What farmers protest teach us?

The question we must introspect rather than only looking at it as a political movement.  Thousands have gathered in different places, and the beauty is that only men (so-called strongmen) are not the savior but women, kids, and old-age people, everyone is present. Moreover, not only farmers but people of other occupations are also present in solidarity like artists (actors, musicians, painters, etc.), students, activists, people of civil society, everyone how is for the cause is present. And in this heterogeneity, most are there because of the emotional attachment with the culture. This can be traced from the solidarity this movement has received from the masses of Punjab. Though we should not restrict this movement to a particular area or culture as mainstream Godi media has been trying to do but it is a common cause all around the country. But still, the support and solidarity which the Punjabi Artists has given it is remarkable and unquestionable, and needs some deep analysis on it.  

Art is boundless and starts where the socially created reality ends. Art has always been used as a symbol of resistance against oppression and exploitation. Be it be the slogans, songs, or plays during the Indian freedom struggle or text written by authors to give an analysis of a society to its subjects. There has always been Art to contradict the oppressive and exploited discourse. Dohas of Kabir and Vani of Ravidass were formulated at that time as a symbol of dissent. 'Qawalis' and 'Shayari' emerged as resistance to religious and cultural fundamentalism. Likewise in west Blues, Rock n’ Roll, Metal, Hip-hop, Rapp different genres of music emerged out of social and economic disparities. But what about today’s music Artists and other Artists in general.

In this time where most of our Art houses or stakeholders are busy pleasing the bourgeoisies and the fascist regimes, either by glorifying their actions or taking their interviews. The dissent in the movement has again emerged through Art (the term ‘Art’ herein also includes, banners, slogans, placards used in the fight of resistance). By this, I am not making any statement or contention that all Punjabi Artists and media houses are free of these Capitalist pleasing policies. But still, at this movement of the time, they have come against the ‘Big Daddies’ and rationale I would like to give for this action, is the socio-economic culture of Punjabis. Agriculture contributes 25% of State GDP and pre-dominantly Punjabi culture and language are the outcome of the Agrarian economy. Thus farming and agriculture have an emotional attachment with the people. Though they have shifted or moved on to other occupations roots remain in agriculture especially of the Sikhs community inclusive of Caste and Mazhabi Sikhs.

The next thing we need to learn is how the class movement has unified the masses instead of identity disparities. As we know earlier during the time of lockdown there were many cases of oppression of Dalit communities in Punjab by Caste Sikh communities. When Dalits who are mostly peasants by profession demanded higher wages for their labour in farms of upper caste people and in lieu of it Caste Sikhs boycotted Dalits, even up to the extent of excommunicating them from religious spaces. But at this need of the hour, the Dalit communities are standing in line despite the fact that their struggle is for the land they till. So, it is also an important lesson for us to understand how to find a way out of both identity and class politics.

The movement has one for a positive outcome, i.e. in this era of highly market-oriented structure and consumerism. The farmer is able to survive their system through primitive communism through the distribution of labour and surplus. They have made committees at every level to look for different purposes. They have committees back at home looking at their farms, organized structures looking at the expenditure and essentials needed at the protest, volunteers, and candidates providing protection and maintaining discipline in the protest. The people are coming and going back to villages in shifts so that everything should go in an organized way. Even people gathering together and creating an essence of oneness and interdependence is helping to revive the lost essence of human values.

Thus the protest is the right example of what impact culture has on the politics of a particular state. Which also leads to another question what a culture should be? To me, it a gradually growing system that is just and reasonable, above all which cherish human freedom and well-being in accordance with the common objective of the masses.

 

By: Himanshoo Atri