Women demand space for themselves in farm agitation

New Delhi: From political leaders to housewives, social activists, and even actor Gul Panag, 200 women reached Jantar Mantar on Monday for the All-Women Kisan Sansad - held to mark eight months of protest against the Centre's three farm laws. Wearing turbans, these women raised slogans against the government and demanded the scrapping of three farm laws.

Women protesters said that for the last 8 months they have been sitting on different borders and have had to deal with abuses such as "maawali, traitors" but even after so much suffering they continue to protest.

A resolution was passed unanimously in the Women Farmers' Parliament that despite the immense contribution of women to Indian agriculture, they do not have the dignity and status that they ought to - in the farmers' movement, the role of women farmers has to be strengthened through well thought-out steps, it was resolved.

The Mahila Kisan Sansad also resolved unanimously that there should be 33 percent reservation for women in the Parliament and state Legislatures, on the pattern of local bodies like Panchayats. A Constitutional Amendment should be made in this regard for giving due representation for women who constitute 50 percent of our population, resolved the Mahila Kisan Sansad. Inside the Medha Patkar was echoing a motivational song with other women protestors in one of the buses.

Members of Mahila Kisan Sansad who participated in the debate pointed out that these amendments have given legal sanction to hoarding and black marketing by big corporations and others in the food supply chain.

They stated that the dark implications of this law are not just on farmers but on consumers everywhere. They pointed out that in the name of export orders, any amount of hoarding can be done by big capital, even in the case of extreme emergencies in the country.

"The Government has given up its mandate, intent and power to protect the interest of ordinary citizens, through this 2020 law," it was pointed out. Given the gendered roles thrust on women to take care of food security of the household, this law undermines women's ability to provide for food security, the women argued.

"When food becomes unaffordable due to this law, we will be forced to eat less. Women will bear the brunt of this law quite a bit," the members of Mahila Kisan Sansad explained.

The Mahila Kisan Sansad had a member, Ramesh, who had lost her husband during this Andolan. Despite her personal loss, she has been active in the struggle. The members also paid homage to Kargill Martyrs, on Vijay Diwas today, to salute the soldiers who valiantly laid down their lives for protecting the nation victoriously on this day in 1999.

Meanwhile Neetu Khanna, another protester stated that the way governments have been treating the farmers for the last eight months was shameful.

Politician and speaker Subhasini Ali said that these three laws should be repealed. "Farmers are the ones who grow crops and feed the people of the country then why such mistreatment," another leader said.