India: Women workers play integral part in farmers protest
"Women add the X-factor to farmers’ protest", 26 January 2021
There was a time when women dared not attend mass gatherings beyond their own villages in such a big number. However, every political party and many mass organisations had formed their women wings but the present position to attend the women en-masse from villages to the country’s capital for months together was seen for the first time in history of the trade union.
The farmers’ stir has overwritten the past figure — and history — of any assemblage of women in the country for a cause.
Satnam Singh Pannu, state president of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, has attributed the contribution of women to shape what the agitation has ballooned into today, gaining support from people globally. “The participation of women workers from village level to the Delhi morcha remained remarkable than the male number till date,” he said, adding that more mature suggestions were given by the women leaders to maintain peace and remain firm on their stand which the national leadership of the kisan morcha has followed duly.
...Around 6,000 of women farmers have participated. There was hardly any village in the district left without their cooperation...
There were days when only women workers participated in the demonstrations and speakers, too, were the women. They organised demonstrations in the area with remarkable attendances...