At least 200 women farmers made their way from Delhi's Singhu border to Jantar Mantar on Monday, 26 July, to mark eight months of farmers' protest against the three farm laws and hold a mock parliament against the same.
"Tomorrow's Kisan Sansad at Jantar Mantar will be conducted entirely by women. The Mahila Kisan Sansad will reflect the key role that women play in Indian agriculture, and their critical role in the ongoing movement too. Convoys of women farmers from various districts are reaching the morchas for the Mahila Kisan Sansad," the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said, in a press release.
At least 40 protesting farmer groups will be joining the women farmers as they lead protest on 26 July. The unions have been staging protests in Jantar Mantar since 22 July, during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.
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(Photo: Special Arrangement/The Quint)
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(Photo: Special Arrangement/The Quint)
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"Even though women contribute quite significantly to our farming, they do not receive the dignity, recognition, and status that they ought to in the country. Their labour, hard work, skills and knowledge, and their vitality should be taken on board by people's movements and by our society. There should be well-thought-out measures adopted to increase the role and space for women in the Kisan Andolan," the women farmers said in a statement.
It also unanimously resolved that women be given 33 percent representation in Parliament and Assemblies on the pattern of local bodies like Panchayats and Municipal Committees.
The farmers' parliament will discuss the implications on farmers and consumers, and pass its decisions/resolutions on the subject on 27 July.
(Photo: Special Arrangement/The Quint)
(Photo: Special Arrangement/The Quint)
"As is known, Uttar Pradesh will be going for Assembly elections next year. In the panchayat elections held earlier this year, the farmers' movement left its mark ,with BJP candidates punished in many places, and independents gaining the most number of seats," the statement further read.
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