New Delhi: Eighty-six-year-old Jagbir Chaudhary, unable to remain idle, has been stitching hats for the farmers at the protest sites braving the chilling cold. Chaudhary has been making hats ever since Bhartiya Kisan Union was formed and this responsibility was given to him by then-president of the organisation Mahendra Singh Tikait.
"I have been making hats since Bhartiya Kisan Union was formed. The responsibility was given to me by Mahendra Singh Tikait. Tikait Ji liked my work and since then I have been making hats and badges for the farmers," says Jagbir Chaudhary.
With the farmers protest entering 50th day at various borders at the national capital, the deadlock with the central government does not seem to come to an end. Thousands of farmers from across Indian states, especially Punjab and Haryana, have camped at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur border to protest against the three farm laws passed by the Central government.
The 86-year-old man making hats for India's farmers Chaudhary initially had stitched 500 hats for the farmers and brought it to Ghazipur border out of which 400 have been sold. He says that there is a custom of wearing hats at the farmers' protest site and it plays a significant role.
Expressing his views on the three agri-sector laws, the hat-maker said, "The government has not helped farmers and these laws will leave the farmers at the mercy of the big corporates. The previous governments were much better than the present government."
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He went on to add, "The farmers are not going to budge until the three laws are repealed. People are braving the cold weather and using heaters to continue with the protests."
The farmers are prepared. The mercury in the national capital is dropping with each passing day, but the biting cold hasn’t deterred them from their cause.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the three controversial farm laws and formed a four-member committee to take over negotiations with the farmers on the impact of these laws.
The committee comprises four members: Bhupinder Singh Mann, National President, Bhartiya Kisan Union and All India Kisan Coordination Committee; Dr. Parmod Kumar Joshi, Agricultural Economist, and Director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute; Ashok Gulati, Agricultural Economist and former Chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices; and Anil Ghanwat, President, Shetkari Sanghatana.
The top court said the committee has been constituted for the purpose of listening to the grievances of the farmers relating to the farm laws and the views of the government and to make recommendations.
The bench added that the representatives of all the farmers' bodies, whether they are holding a protest or not and whether they support or oppose the laws, shall participate in the deliberations of the committee and put forth their viewpoints.
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