Skip to content

OPINION: Why you should care about protests in India, Squamish

If you ate food today, thank a farmer. I stayed in the fields and flesh of Punjab, India as a child several times. Each time in awe with the simplicity of the wheat plows and shady sky.
Farmers working in Haryana State, India.
Farmers working in Haryana State, India.

If you ate food today, thank a farmer. I stayed in the fields and flesh of Punjab, India as a child several times. Each time in awe with the simplicity of the wheat plows and shady sky. I have seen how food is so genuinely nourished, plucked, simmered, roasted, and milked before it is served upon my plate to eat.

More than 250 million people are currently protesting against the three unjust farm amendments made by the Parliament of India. Farmers fear that with these amendments, large corporations and private companies may take over pieces of land and be able to exploit the integrity of the agricultural sector for personal gain.

Farmers in India make up more than half of India’s population, yet their suffering has been occurring long since before this amendment was even proposed. Farm debts, high costs of living and caring for land, the lack of clean water resources, the complex land lease systems and the climate crisis are only a few of the fundamental issues farmers must deal with. Since 2000, there have been over 3,330 agriculturist suicides caused by the strain of all these problems.

 India’s Prime Minister Narenda Modi has essentially proposed to make these issues even worse.

Protests from Punjab have no doubt already showed their perseverance and strength by trekking roughly 72 hours to the border of New Delhi.

During this journey, having no place to stay overnight, many were forced to sleep under gas station roofs or on the side of the road, the weather cruel and cold.

The protests have lasted over four months.

Government officials have shown little to no support. Instead, they have been found approving the firing tear gas, making unlawful arrests and causing violence.

Protesters themselves have taken it upon themselves to better humanity while trying to find justice.

At the base in New Delhi, people are participating in Langer, an act of serving food originating from the Sikh religion.

What’s powerful about these people, is that they are not only serving food to the homeless community and fellow protesters, is that they are also serving food to the opposers, the New Delhi police force.

People around the world are calling for this injustice to be brought to light. Protests have sparked throughout the world, and even in Squamish. So how does this affect you? India is the producer of 68% of spices. Including the spices that are found in your turmeric, lattes and takeout Indian food. There is a chance the cotton on your shirt was grown by someone in India. These reasons aren’t the sole reasons you should care about this issue.

As a member of the so-called First World, it is important and necessary to educate yourself about the issues that so deeply affect the side of the world that you inexplicably profit off of. People should not be starving so you can eat. If you ate food today, thank a farmer.

Harman Cheema is an undergraduate student at UBC,  who was raised and resides in Squamish.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks