Pagri Sambhal Lehar to Samyukt Kisan Morcha – A centenary of Punjab Kisan Struggle – 1907-2021

 

Pagri Sambhal Lehar to Samyukt Kisan Morcha – A centenary of Punjab Kisan Struggle – 1907-2021

I could lay my hand on the recent book on the subject written by my good friend in the academia. Prof. Ronki Ram, currently the Head of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chair at Panjab University, Chandigarh, courtesy yet another friend, Chief Editor of the Ambedkar Times and the Desh Doaba, esteemed weeklies being publish from California in the US, Prem Chumber who has sponsored the publication of the book, as usual, to carry forward their mission to support and promote the common matters of concern and interest to the undermined and struggling masses of the society.  I highly appreciate this gesture on the part of Prem Chumber and his media organs. It is also a matter of gratification that academic and intellectual and also literary circles have taken a due note of the epoch making struggle of farmers which lasted for more than a year under all odds and difficulties. The government, ultimately, had to relent and repeal the said to be ‘black laws’ on
agrarian reforms.

The book of Prof. Ronki Ram - Pagri Sambhal Lehar to Samyukt Kisan Morcha – A centenary of Punjab Kisan Struggle – 1907-2021 is a well documented compilation of history of Kisan Movements in the contemporary times of about 100 years and also the current scenario in the wake of Samyukt Kisan Morcha.

The book has thoughtfully been dedicated to the Unknown Fighters of the century old Kisan Struggle in Punjab. In a brief Foreword, Chief Editor of the Ambedkar Times and the Desh Doaba Weeklies, Prem Chumber noted with satisfaction, “The historic struggle has not only forced the central government to repeal the contentious farm laws  but also put in place the most desirable narrative of communal harmony built from below across class and caste fault lines.” Journalist and Writer, Amarjit Singh Chandan has written in the Preface of the book, “The world has recently witnessed the largest and longest peaceful farmers’ struggle against globalism in general and capitalism in particular.” He has underlined the role of Punjab in Kisan movements and has written, “The state of Punjab has the distinction of leading various farmers’ struggles during the British rule as well as post-independence.”

Prof Ronki Ram has done a good job in putting Kisan Movements in perspective since 1849, the annexation of Punjab with stress on the century – 1907-2021 – from the days Pagri Sambhal oh Jatta Days to the current allegedly black farm laws of 2020-2021 dealing with agricultural produce, sale, storage, marketing and contract farming.

Prof Ronki Ram

The stakeholders particularly farmers and the Artias (Commission agents) in the sale and marketing opposed these laws, passed hurriedly in a hush-hush manner by the government, was opposed tooth and nail. The book rightly provides all the necessary details of the ‘Non Partisan Peaceful Protests’ for the benefit of the readers. Finally, a yearlong Andolan was called off on nullifying the controversial laws following the announcement of PM Narendra Modi on November 19, 2021, at the auspicious occasion of Guru Nanak Dev ji. Prof Ronki Ram, the author of the book, asserted that this long drawn struggle could sustain itself and finally succeeded because of the fact that the spirit behind the struggle was ‘the rich heritage of peasant struggles in both pre-partition undivided Punjab and post independence Indian Punjab.

The following chapters give all the details of the peasant’s movements in undivided Punjab and Post partition Punjab in free India. In the historical background of the role of Maharaja Rnjit Singh and Sikh Misls (Confederacies), the books details the Farmers struggle under the banner of ‘Pagrhi Sambhal Jatta Lehr’ in 1907 under the leadership of Ajit Singh uncle (Chacha of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Nilli Bar Morch of 1938 with the slogan – Banney Utey Adho-addh – 50-50 share in the agricultural produce, Amritsar Morch of 1938 against the increase in land revenue, Muzara Struggle of Gurdaspur, Charhik Morcha of 1938, Korotana Struggle to oppose the ban on kisan movements during the WWII, the Lahore Morcha of 1938-39, Harsa Chhina Morcha on the issue of canal waters in 1946 and ‘perhaps the last kisan morcha for the restoration of land rights before the partition in 1947, Tanda Urmur Morcha.

Similarly, in the post-partition Punjab of India also saw a number of important movements of Kisans such as; Pepsu Muzara Movement against the ‘Biswedari’ (system of hereditary property), Anti-betterment Levy Agitation of 1959 (known as Khush-Hashiyati Tax Morch) led by Punjab Kisan Sabha of the CPI, Mehatpur Byet Muzara Movement said to be influenced by the Naxalites, Chandigarh Morcha of 1972 of Punjab Khetbari Zimindara Union. These details provided good information on the Kisan movements which worked as the torch bearer of the current Andolan.

With this detailed narration of Kisan Movements, the author has given thoughtfully ‘Critical Reflections’ as food for thought. Agriculture is a complex issue for the Indian economy, polity and the society. The other has weighed pros and cons of reform process of the agricultural sector very carefully. Agriculture cannot be left to ‘subsistence’ level. It has to develop as industry on commercial basis not only to meet the basic needs of farmers to make it viable but also to integrate the agricultural sector with the main stream of the  economy of India and beyond. The way out is not confrontation but cooperation among the stakeholders. I hope the government has fully realized this ground reality.

The book – Pagri Sambhal Lehr to Samyukt Kisan Morha is a good compilation of all relevant material on the kisan movements and the legal framework and also a balanced view on the way forward.