JALANDHAR: As people from diverse professions gathered here under the banner of Punjab Civil Society here on Friday and spoke for farmers protesting at borders of Delhi, the common refrain was that farmers’ movement was actually manifestation of collective resentment prevailing in the state. They said that urbanites were very much with the farmers and they were as much concerned about the protestors as their families in villages.
It was first gathering of its kind in any city in Punjab where urbanites from diverse backgrounds – doctors, industrialists, businessmen, academics, charted accountants, former army officers – gathered to deliberate and speak up for farmers on their own in place of just listening to the experts or celebrities. “We wanted that urbanites should not remain passive watchers as Punjab farmers are protesting at Delhi border so we organized them to deliberate on the issue and speak up,” said senior journalist Rakesh Shantidoot, one of the main organizers of the event. Former diplomat Ramesh Chander said that it was heartening that civil society in Punjab had also started organizing itself to speak up on farmers issue and this should expand its endeavour.
Dr Swaran Singh and Dr Mukesh Gupta, representing the medical fraternity, said that people were facing risk as they were protesting during chilling days and it was not just a protest but a movement in which other sections of the society were also stakeholders.. “Punjab has always been facing discrimination. While farmers are there on borders of Delhi, back home we as part of the civil society will have to ensure that no mechanizations to divide the people would succeed,” said Dr Gupta.
Lyallpur Khalsa College for Women principal Navjot Kaur said that participation of women in the movement was historic.
Sports industrialist and Khel Udyog Sangh leader Ravinder Dhir said that there was no urban rural divide in Punjab on the issue and people from all backgrounds were backing the movement. Local businessman Raman Kumar said farmers movement had shaken up the civil society and urbanites were now also feeling strongly about their issues. PTU vice chancellor’s former advisor Dr Nachhatar Singh said that Punjab needed to be much careful about the divisive narratives being created to weaken farmers’ movement.