Satnam Channa

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 31

The year 2020 was a lost year; a forgettable one. While the pandemic reeled in the spotlight in the beginning, rendering people incarcerated at their homes, but agreeably, the year has ended on an unexpectedly much better note with the down-in-the-history books movement by the farmers which prompted people to come out of their abodes and support them.

Scholars, poets, literary persons have seen this movement as a big turning point in the politics and history of Punjab. Satnam Channa, a writer and presenter, said that the movement has given a turn to everything. “There was a time when singers used to face flak because of the kind of lyrics they would use in the songs, mention of weapons in the same. But when the movement started, they were the ones who sang several songs dedicated to the farmers,” he shares, before adding, “they would earlier go to stage to earn money, but now went to the protests to contribute something.”

Channa also said that this is the actual ‘sabhyachar’ where people have united which was unseen before. “This is our culture. The new year has started with people telling that humanity still exists,” he expresses. While talking about his plans and resolutions, he revealed his plans to direct a film on the farmers protest and highlight the topics that would awake the society.

Des Raj Kali, a noted writer, said that perception towards the youth changed in the year. “We had always seen youngsters running after IELTS, falling prey to drug menace, but the movement made us see an altogether different youngsters who has patience and is also sensitive towards others problems,” he says, adding that youngsters sat with the farmers, listened to them, understood their problems and connected with them.

“It is a very positive sign of the state. Politically and culturally, the state had become impotent. There was stagnation all over, but we will see an enlightened Punjab in 2021,” he tells. “Ohtho Punjabi trolley vich chaanan bharke leyounge (Punjabis will bring trolleys full of light and hope for the future of the state),” the writer hoped.