Various views as Indian farmers leave the protest area near the capital | Opposition Articles

New Delhi, India – Tens of thousands of Indian farmers have evacuated three protest sites outside New Delhi headquarters for more than a year to prevent the repeal of anti-agricultural laws, which were lifted by the government last month.

On Saturday, the farmers began returning home, two days after the agreement was reached put an end to the protests for a whole year following assurances from the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) government wing government that their expectations will be considered.

Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a A wonderful U-turn at the end of November, he announced the abolition of the three farm rules and apologized nationally to the TV address for providing what the farmers called. “Black Laws”, the protesters demanded a guarantee of the minimum value (MSP) of their property and all criminal charges against them were dropped.

“We are very happy today. In the end, we won, “Sathbir Singh, a 70-year-old farmer from northern Haryana, told Al Jazeera on Saturday.

“We have got what we wanted from this government since last year.”

In Tikri outside New Delhi, one of the three demonstration sites, many farmers were seen dancing to Hindi and Punjabi hymns sung by loudspeakers connected to their tractors by removing their tents. They lit incense, shared sweets, and hugged each other.

“Today, there is happiness everywhere and there is no sadness,” Singh said.

Founders of Jangi Library, Ambedkar Library and Saanjhi Sathh at Singhu Border are among the last group of protesters to leave the protest rally.#KisanMajdoorEktaZindabaad pic.twitter.com/KrJPdREYI2

– Kisan Ekta Morcha (@Kisanektamorcha) December 13, 2021

There was also a touching scene for Tikri as the farmers said goodbye to their fellow performers. started in November last year.

In the same month, thousands of farmers, mostly from the “wheat fields” of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, decided to travel to New Delhi to demand that farm regulations be lifted.

When the farmers were prevented from entering the capital city by the police, they erected their tents, blocking the three main roads leading to the capital.

Farmers refused to clear the area unless the government abolished the rules, although the country reports hundreds of thousands of cases of COVID-19 daily.

For one year, he endured the cold New Delhi winter, the heat and history of monsoons. He was even tortured by the police and branded a “terrorist” and “isolated” by BJP leaders and the right wing of Indian media.

The Modi government, for its part, said the laws enacted in September last year aimed to revitalize India’s vast agricultural sector and increase farmers’ incomes by giving them access to more markets to sell their produce.

But farmers say the law has given businesses corporate control over the economy and deprived them of the MSP that the government promised to harvest.

Last week, the government sent a letter to the protesters, announcing the formation of an MSP committee and the removal of charges against the protesters.

Farmers removing temporary tents from Singhu protesters after farmers left their protests [Bilal Kuchay/Al Jazeera]

The views on Singhu’s border, the founders of the farmers’ protests, were no different as the farmers – mostly from the Punjab – celebrated their success before leaving for home.

“We are happy that the agricultural rules have been lifted. But more than that, the great joy is that we have beaten Modi because he was seen as a person who could not return to his words, “Swaran Kaur, 65, from Punjab’s Patiala district told Al Jazeera.

“He [Modi] they wanted to turn farmers into poor workers. ”

Swaran Kaur, (left), Singhu outside New Delhi – at the annual farmers’ show in India. [Bilal Kuchay/Al Jazeera]

‘I have agreed with my grandchildren’

Dressed in traditional attire, with his head covered in a green scarf, 76-year-old Jasveer Kaur from Punjab in Sangrur province was present at farmers’ meetings since January.

On Friday, he approached Karan Preet, a young volunteer at a drugstore and protesters, and asked for medicine and plaster. He thanked the boy, hugged him, and kissed him several times.

“Good morning, baby,” said Preet in Punjabi. “They are all my children,” he said, pointing to a group of farmers and volunteers.

Kaur told Al Jazeera that he decided to take part in the protest because there was no male in the family. She is a widow who lost both of her children.

Jasveer Kaur, 76, at the Singhu exhibition grounds outside of New Delhi [Bilal Kuchay/Al Jazeera]

“I took part in a protest for my grandchildren. This war was to protect their environment and their lives, ”he said, adding that the year-round demonstration was not just a fantasy but full of hardships.

He said he struggled with the bad weather in which many farmers lost their lives. Farmer organizations say more than 700 farmers died during protests.

He said: “It was devastating to see so many of our farmers lose their lives here at the show. “Whether it was a hot winter, unbearable summer heat in Delhi or rain, we faced everything and never left. This victory is the result of our dedication. “

Lakhmir Singh, 49, lived happily with other farmers inside the small house – his home for over a year. While they were happy that their demonstrations ended with a victory, there was something wrong: the absence of their friend Jatinder Singh.

Jatinder, 33, fought with water cannons and smoke bombs as he began his march last year. “She died of a heart attack four months ago,” Lakhmir told Al Jazeera.

“We are happy we have won but what hurts us the most these days is the loss of those we lost during the turmoil.”

Lakhmir Singh, (center), lives in a small house with some farmers in Singhu [Bilal Kuchay/Al Jazeera]

Prince Sandu, 32, and his team of five volunteers washed the clothes of protesting farmers in a washing machine set up in Singhu. He said he was proud to be part of the show.

“It seems like a dream come true. This one year passed like the twinkling of an eye, “Sandhu told Al Jazeera.” We will appreciate these moments for the rest of our lives. “

Kaur said he never thought the demonstrations would last so long. But he said farmers were determined to force the Modi government to repeal the rules.

“We knew that no matter how long this war would last, victory would be ours.”