In Punjab, upper castes, mostly Jat Sikhs, dominate the farming landscape. Only 3.5% of private farm land belongs to Dalits who make up 32% of the population.
“Our
struggle is not just about money. It’s about owning a farm where we
can go without fear,” said Paramjit Kaur, standing at the door of
her kitchen, rolling a dough ball to make chapatis.
“Now,
our daughters can go alone to harvest fodder at any time.”
Paramjit
Kaur was talking about the 15.5 acres of common land she is jointly
tending with 200 other Dalit
families of the village, earning 2.5 quintal wheat and Rs 1,200
annual profit per household.
At
her home in Bhattiwal Kalan village of Sangrur district in Punjab,
a green awning in the courtyard partly blocked the harsh summer sun.
Around 50 metres away stood the family’s only reliable source of
income--a cart full of cosmetics, small household items and plastic
toys.
Paramjit
Kaur’s husband, Major Singh, takes this mobile shop to neighbouring
villages, earning around Rs 500 from daily sales. Her son recently
joined a private firm in Sangrur as laboratory assistant, relieving
her of a job as a farm labourer.
The
family are among the several thousand Dalits participating in a land
rights movement sweeping across 70 villages of southern Punjab,
upsetting the deeply-entrenched power equations between upper-caste
farmers and scheduled caste (SC) labourers.
The
campaign also aims to protect village commons from encroachment,
ensure food security and uphold women’s safety. This is why the
likes of Paramjit Kaur are at the forefront of this movement.
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