In India’s northern Punjab state, farmers are pressing the national government for higher crop prices, relying on the support of young students to sustain the momentum of their agitation.
Among them is 18-year-old Simranjeet Singh Mathada, who, like thousands of college students, rises at 3 am daily to assist in cooking meals at communal kitchens, filling water tankers, and loading supplies onto tractor trailers. Their destination: a protest site roughly 200 km (125 miles) from New Delhi, the capital.
“These protests are now about safeguarding the country’s agrarian economy, and Punjab’s farmers are resolute in pursuing this reform at any cost,” asserts Mathada.
The core demand of the protesters revolves around securing guaranteed minimum prices, ensuring Mathada’s parents and countless other farmers can sell their produce at fixed rates.
Despite ongoing negotiations between farmer unions and the government, the protests have occasionally erupted into violence. Farmers have sustained injuries in attempts to breach police barriers set up with concrete blocks and barbed wire to prevent their advance towards the capital. Some clashes have resulted in injuries to police personnel as well.
“Our unwavering commitment to effect change emboldens us to confront law enforcement daily,” explains Mathada, currently pursuing a degree in Arts.
To shield themselves from tear gas and smoke deployed by the police via drones, Mathada and his father employ swimming goggles and a metal shield.
“The police’s use of force to obstruct farmers’ progress towards Delhi has been a jarring revelation, highlighting how swiftly democracy can erode,” reflects Mathada.
Prior to joining the protests, Mathada assisted his family in farming their ancestral land and managing a hardware store.
“For now, our primary focus is on ensuring the Modi government acknowledges our demands,” he asserts, noting that attending college lectures has taken a backseat for him and some of his peers.
These demonstrations coincide with elections where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party aims for a third consecutive term. Modi recently affirmed his government’s commitment to farmers’ welfare, emphasizing a drive to transform them into entrepreneurs and exporters.
As Mathada approaches eligibility to vote for the first time, he finds himself grappling with doubts.
“I contemplate democracy and feel somewhat disenchanted; I may abstain from voting this time around,” he admits.
