London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Indian farmers stand in defiance of new laws - 'we'll never leave the battlefield'

Indian farmers stand in defiance of new laws - 'we'll never leave the battlefield'

A mini township with hundreds of tractors and trucks have blocked a main highway, almost choking India's capital.

"Even if I die, even if I am beheaded, or killed by bullets - I will not back down. Our community will never leave the battlefield and run away."

"We will take our rights back, these laws have to go," Gurjit Singh, an ex-military man and now a farmer, tells Sky News.

He is among thousands of farmers, mainly from the northern states of Punjab and Haryana, protesting the three laws passed by the Modi government in September.


Gurjit Singh says he wants to take his rights back


Denied entry into Delhi to protest, they have all camped on most of the major roads and highways leading into the city.

They have been supported by farmer organisations from other states who are joining in.

The Singhu border is the nerve centre and has the largest numbers of farmers gathered.

It is like a mini township with hundreds of tractors and trolleys, pick-up trucks and vehicles that have blocked this main highway, almost choking the capital.

It is one of the largest farmer protests in recent times. The government has been taken by surprise by the resilience, tenacity, and support for the farmers, not only from within but also from other parts of the world, due the large Sikh diaspora worldwide.

Farmer Sukhmer Singh Cheema, 82, from Punjab says: "In my lifetime I have never seen such a protest. Despite the pandemic, cold weather we have camped here against the laws, it's not only for ourselves but for every section of this country."


Clinics have sprung up at the protest site


Langars - or free communal kitchens - have sprung up everywhere providing hot meals, tea, coffee and snacks to thousands of protestors and anyone who wants them. The Sikh community is known for such services to society.

There are a number medical stations manned by doctors, nurses and volunteers who provide free consultations, medicines, and masks.

Many protestors are elderly - camping out in the bitter cold in their makeshift homes on tractors and in tents.

Pritam Singh heads the United Sikh aid organisation conducting a blood donation camp here.

"There are far more people donating blood than we can handle, we asked them to come back tomorrow. They all want to serve humanity even while protesting," he says.


Protesters are continuing to donate blood


Farmers argue the three federal laws will deregulate crop pricing and eventually dismantle the minimum support price system that guarantees them an income and leave them vulnerable to large private companies.

The government argues the laws will abolish middlemen and improve farmers' incomes, as they will have a wider market to sell to.

The farmers here are not convinced of the laws, nor the government's intentions of doing it during the coronavirus pandemic.

There is a gaping trust deficit which is widening by the day. Talks between leaders of the farmer unions and the government, led by the agricultural minister, have so far had no results, as both sides have dug into their demands.

Amarjit Singh, a farmer from Haryana, says: "These laws are like a warrant against farmers and the more the government delays in revoking them, the more it is harming itself. We will fight till our end."

Security at the Singhu border is unprecedented. Shipping containers, trucks filled with earth, rows of concrete blocks chained to each other topped with razor wire, anti-riot and water cannon vehicles and many buses are stationed here.


Protesters say they have enough supplies to last them several months


ll manned by a posse of Rapid Action Force - a specialised paramilitary wing that deals with riots and crowd control backed with a large number of Delhi Police personnel.

The farmers say they are here for a long haul and have provisions and resources to last a few months. They have developed a relay system where a few of them head back to tend to their fields and homes while a new group take their place with new vigour.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×