FARMERS PROTESTS

THE WOMEN OF FARMERS PROTESTS


In September 2020, the Modi government in India passed a set of three pro-market farm laws. The government wanted to reduce its role in the Indian agricultural sector. The farmers, barely scraping through with pre-existing governmental support, heavily protested these laws. They gathered on the three borders that the capital city of New Delhi shared with adjacent states. Millions of farmers braved everything from water cannons to trenches and trucks in their bid to make their voices heard. They sat at the borders for months, braving harsh weather - from heat to cold, until the government finally had to withdraw the laws. Farmers’ unions say, through the stretch of the protests, at least nine farmers died by suicide.  And nearly 700 died while the protests went on, often leaving families in debt. 

In this story we hear from the women at the Farmers Protests and their sentiments about the protests. Leading from the front were the brave resilient women who were in no mood to halt their agitation. Away from the comfort of their homes and families, these women stood shoulder-to-shoulder with their male counterparts to hold the government accountable.


My Role
Reporting
Voice Over Narration
HOW THE FARMERS PROTESTS BECAME A REVOLUTION


When the Farmers Protests began in India, they began unlike any other protest. There was no singular leader. There was always a group of people with different ideologies and belief systems, raising their voice against the laws passed by the government. These laws were later repealed as a result of the protests.

This video is a look at the energy and enthusiasm at the protest sites. 

My Role
Reporting
Production
Voice Over Narration
Camera 


INSIDE THE SINGHU BORDER


Two months into the Farmers Protests, the protest sites had an ecosystem of their own. The farmers lived inside trucks, cooked food on the site. A big part of the population living on the bordering villages between New Delhi and neighbouring states faced a set of challenges, and described their complaints, not from the farmers but the government.  As a producer at The Mojo Story, I accompanied my editor Barkha Dutt, along with a team of camera people, to the protest site. She talks to protesting farmers about the fortification of the protest camps with barbed wires, spikes, and barricades installed at the entrance. She gives a deep dive into the nuances of living at such a site for more than two months and how it changed the entire face of the Farmers Protest. 

My Role
Field Production
Post Production 
100 DAYS OF FARMERS PROTESTS


6th of March 2021 marked 100 days of the Farmers Protests. However, as protests changed in size & shape, a lot happened in these 100 days. While many unions stood strong, many also withdrew support after the Republic Day Tractor Rally where the 'nishan sahib' flag  (a religious flag) was hoisted at the Red Fort. Through all this, farmers  remained united in demanding a repeal of the farm laws. However, there were also disagreements amidst the leaders with respect to how the demands must be approached. Many said that they would like to talk to the government. Many media reports also said that the unions won't talk till harassment at the borders stopped. Despite repeated negotiations with the government, and the government offering to withdraw the laws for 1.5 years, no conclusion came to the fore. This is a live show that aired on March 6, 2021. I handled the live production for this show along with my team at The Mojo Story. Anchored by my editor at The Mojo Story, Barkha Dutt. 

My Role
Live Production
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