This book chapter presents a compelling collection of interviews with union leaders and grassroots activists. This piece captures diverse perspectives on labour rights, worker struggles, and the ongoing efforts to organize for social and economic justice in India. Through firsthand accounts, the interviews highlight the challenges of mobilizing workers, the power of solidarity, and the critical role of activism in addressing exploitation and inequality within labour sectors.
Authors
Sakshi Chindaliya, Assistant Lecturer, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
Deepanshu Mohan, Professor, Centre for New Economics Studies, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
Jignesh Mistry, Senior Research Analyst, Centre for New Economics Studies, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
Siddharth G., Research Analyst, Centre for New Economic Studies, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
Summary
This chapter captures the voices of the protesting people, especially the activists and farm union leaders, who represented thousands of farmers from different states protesting the three farm laws. These stories were recorded through interviews conducted online with the help of a questionnaire prepared after various on-field interviews and observations.
The people interviewed here talk about their unions and their roles, their communication strategies and the involvement of different strata of society, arguably three reasons for the victory of the protest. This chapter also captures their personal journeys and the lessons they learned by participating in the farmers’ protest.
Published in: The Indian farmers’ protest of 2020–2021: Agrarian crisis, dissent and identity, Routledge, London
To read the full chapter, please click here.
