Farmers’ Protest: A Source of Livelihood - from cutting vegetables, cooking food and washing dishes

Shekhar Sharma from Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh was serving at the airport and came back home after he had been terminated after the Coronavirus outbreak "I gain 500 rupees per day by cooking, cleaning dishes and some other farmer's jobs. Left to his own choices, he began working, just on a daily wage basis, in the farmers' protest site.

"I served at the airport for for as long as 3 years, although in the Corona phase, the organization dismissed me," he said. "Because there's no other earning member in the household and I have to provide care of my mother and siblings." Thanks to the farmers' unrest on the outskirts of Delhi for more than two and a half months now, several other individuals like him are making a good living. Although the chaos is not scarce, with thousands of volunteers cashing in the community's kitchens to langars for others, protesting by farmers is a way of feeding hungry mouths that rely on them.

Meals are prepared for loads of protesters at every venue of unrest. Hundreds of people prepare rice, but the assistance of employers and workers is often paid for. The scenario is identical at the Ghazipur frontier, whereby farmers prep food themselves, but certain activities are delegated to those who are compensated on a daily wage scale.

"I've been available in the farmers’ unsettling throughout the previous one month, procuring rupees 300 consistently by cutting vegetables and cleaning dishes," says Ashok, an inhabitant of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh. "Our vendor pays the 8-member group of cooks consistently," adds Ashok.

Chandrapal regularly collects rupees 500 daily between sunrise to evening by preparing food and cleaning dishes for farmers. "I've been doing that for the recent 15 days and arrived here seeking employment," Chandrapal said. Anjul Kumar also has been employed regularly, receiving Rs 500 each day since 21 December. While he's still in the village, he's been working here along with his friends.

Since 26 November last year, farmers have been demonstrating against three newly implemented farm laws on the outskirts of the national capital. There have not yet been completed 11 rounds of consultations between the government and the farmer organisations.