GURUGRAM: If they can march shoulder to shoulder, they can be behind the wheel too. From 76-year-old dadis to college-going teens, around 500 women from various districts of Haryana are gearing up to steer the tractor rally on January 26. They will drive the vehicles on their own and lead from the front.
“My son is in the Army and he’s fighting for our country. My husband is on the roads protesting against the farm laws. I can’t sit back and just support from behind. I want to lead the fight from the front. So do all the women in my district. Let this government see pictures and videos of this country’s bahus and betis out in the open fighting against their intentions,” said 40-year-old Saroj.
Saroj is among the hundreds who will participate in the Kisan Andolan rally on Republic Day and drive their tractors to Delhi if the government does not accept their demands. While many women are rallying behind their male counterparts at the protests at the Singhu and Tikri borders for nearly two months now, Saroj and the others have expressed desire to lead the tractor rally.
This, the women said, will not only intensify the farmers’ agitation, but will also help Haryana shed a stereotypical impression of its patriarchal approach. “This parade has more than one motive. It’s not just to intensify the agitation and tell the government that its approach towards farmers has forced the women of this country to come out on the streets. Also, this rally is intended at breaking several impressions and stereotypes that the state is still under the clutches of patriarchy. The women here now have a voice too,” said 50-year-old Batehri, who already drives tractors in fields and is now practising how to manoeuver the heavy vehicle on the highway.
It was earlier this week that about 500 women at the Khatkar toll plaza on NH-71 had decided to not only take part in the Republic Day tractor rally but also lead it. But how would they lead a tractor rally if they don’t know to drive the vehicles?
Members of the local unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) have now got a few drivers to train these women. How rigorous is their schedule? The group of women get up at 3am every day, complete their household chores, cook food for the protesters and then get behind the wheel of the tractors at the Khatkar toll plaza.
Basics of driving, like switching on the engine, shifting the gears, understanding the traffic lights and signage are being taught to them every day. This goes on for 6-8 hours daily. “We have cut down our sleeping time so that we can train more. We get up before dawn, finish our household chores and take the cattle to the fields. Around 8-9am, we meet at the toll plaza area and undergo training till late in the afternoon. This training has given us a new purpose in life,” said Batehri, a homemaker.
The training itself has instilled confidence among the women. Moreover, the fact that they would be in the front row of the tractor rally has also reinforced their will to protest. Among the young protesters are those who are struggling with online classes because of the lack of access to smartphones and laptops.
Of these 500 women who are undergoing training, about 25-30 participated in Thursday’s tractor parade to KMP Expressway.
“It’s so encouraging to see these women coming out and leading the fight. Seeing them getting trained has made us believe that our protest will become stronger now. Now that women are backing us, what will the Centre have to say?” asked Ramraji Dhull, a BKU leader from Jind district.