After 9 Decades, Bhagat Singh Reinvigorated Farmers’ Protests

On 90th death anniversary of folk hero Bhagat Singh, Indian farmers invoked the revolutionary hero and a storm of demonstrators was witnessed holding banners and pictures during the protests.

As per reports, various farmer unions, Sikh leaders, and youth activists converged in Shaheed Bhagat Singh district and called for unity in the protests against the Centre’s agriculture laws.

The demonstrators gathered to mark the anniversary of Singh and his two friends, Rajguru and Sukhdev, who were martyred by the British in 1931.

During the gatherings held at different borders, tributes were paid to the revolutionary heroes, and people were urged to keep strong faith in “Samyukt Kisan Morcha”.

Role of Bhagat Singh’s legacy in ongoing farmers’ protests

For past 10 months, during protests, the demonstrators wore t-shirts with Bhagat Singh pictures and adorned the protesting sites with slogans of ‘Inquilab Zindabad’, which was popularized by the revolutionary hero.

Additionally, the protesting farmers play ‘Rang De Basanti Chola’ at every protest event as the song was associated with folk heroes.

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The history reveals that before attaining martyrdom, Bhagat Singh wrote an agenda for complete independence and included that farmers’ should be liberated from feudalism and its control, adding that farmers’ debt must be waived off as this is because of the system the farmer does not get the full price of their crop.

As reported by The Indian Express, all such things are even happening today nine decades after his martyrdom where the place of Jagridar, who used to hold resources, is being taken by the corporates and farmers are fighting against their entry into farming, to get Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops and demanding debt waiver.

Invoking Bhagat Singh is highly relevant for the farmers’ protests as the young hero wrote about their welfare nine decades ago.