In Life & Death Farmers Inspire Us

Dear Supporters Jee,
Bhag Singh traveled from Bhaddowal village near Ludhiana to the border of the capital of India, Delhi a few days ago to join thousands of farmers from across the nation. They settled at the doorstep of the nation’s capital to express their opposition to three sweeping agricultural laws passed in September 2020.
The clarion call for justice has been heard around the globe. The farmers present a peaceful and resolute front in the face of harsh winter temperatures, camped out in trucks, trollies and serving langar to each other.
What has been labelled as one of the largest global protest movements is defined by the presence of many in their old age like 76 year old Bhag Singh who are standing up for the survival and wellbeing of small and medium-scale farmers.
The stakes are very high. And some are paying the ultimate price.
At 2:30 am on December 11, Bhag Singh passed away at a local hospital from a heart attack. Our volunteer teams had served his medical needs a few days ago as he visited our medical camp at the Singhu border. Our ambulatory team took Bhag Singh to the hospital on December 10th as his health took a sudden turn for the worse.
We grieve his loss and are inspired by his will and courage to stand up for the convictions of an honest living, sharing the fruits of his hard labor and taking care of the land that feeds us all.
We grieve his loss and are inspired by his will and courage to stand up for the convictions of an honest living, sharing the fruits of his hard labor and taking care of the land that feeds us all.
 
The needs of farmers especially the elderly ones and women are of paramount urgency. Our medical camps with teams of doctors, nurses and volunteers are expanding urgent medical care services.

Times of India Reporting on our Medical Camp Sewa

” Some senior tillers have been complaining of backaches, knee pain and other ailments. We are providing care to many others who are hypertensive or require to keep their blood sugar levels in check” – Jasmeet Singh, UNITED SIKHS India Director
Farmer rights are intrinsically tied to the foundations of human rights. On December 10th, the day Bhag Singh was taken to the hospital, our Executive Director, Jagdeep Singh, hosted a global virtual conference dedicating the 2020 International Human Rights Day to Indian Farmer Laws & Rights.
Elected officials from India, United States, United Kingdom and Canada were joined by Human Rights advocates, activists and scholars from academic institutions. As our distinguished guests reflected on deeper perspectives of the current challenges and possible solutions from a global vantage point, a local perspective laid bare the crisis in the life of farmers in India.
“The present acts are going to transform the agriculture market in India from a regulated market to an unregulated market. The Indian farmers are in great distress. There are about 86% small farmers who are already in a debt trap and not in a position to get out. They just have to encounter one huge drought or a flood and that impact is going to be upon them for another 2 or 3 years and for these 2-3 years they keep borrowing, they get into debt trap. That is why in the country today, not just in Punjab and Haryana, but all over the country, the farmer suicide rates are on the rise.“ – Professor S. Janakarajan, Madras Institute of Development
With the support of our donors from across the globe and our team of dedicated volunteers we will continue our humanitarian mission to serve farmers in India.
Join our team of volunteers
Contribute to our Be Nirbhau to Serve campaign as we continue our efforts on many fronts around the globe.
Harpreet Kaur,
UNITED SIKHS Director, India
Recognize the Human Race As One