FARM STIR ANNIVERSARY: Movement of women's emancipation, says Bhagat Singh's niece

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 26

On January 18, when Mahila Kisan Diwas was being celebrated at the Delhi border, Gurjit Kaur, the 68-year-old niece of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, led a “jatha” of 150 women from her Ambala Jattan village in Hoshiarpur to the Singhu border.

On the diwas, she along with women from Ambala Jattan, Mangarh, Garhdiwal villages among others stood holding a poster of her uncle. As the farmers’ protests completed a year today, Gurjit again marked the occasion by participating in a march through the streets of Singhu.

Gurjit is the daughter of Bibi Parkash Kaur, sister of Bhagat Singh, who died in Toronto on September 28, 2014. From time to time, she has led “jathas” from her village and its periphery to Singhu.

Renting a building opposite a mall near the Singhu stage, Gurjit has been camping intermittently for the past six months. Her accommodation is also open for village women in emergency situations.

Terming it a landmark moment for the farmers’ fight for their rights as well as for women emancipation, Gurjit has been among the strongest votaries of the agitation.

“The struggle of peasants and labourers is very viable and important. My mamaji (Bhagat Singh) and nanaji fought against a similar set of black laws during the British era. The first anniversary of the movement is a very important occasion. Such a movement hasn’t been seen in the past 100 years. I decided to stay here all through. We first thought of building a bamboo hut but settled for hiring some rooms,” she said.

Stressing the movement acted as a booster for women’s confidence, Gurjit said: “Village women who are little read and haven’t stepped out before, gave fiery speeches on stage. Women supported children and the farm protests simultaneously. It is also a movement of their emancipation.”