Jairaj Singh invited me to write for Mumbai Mirror. Here is my piece on the cultural tradition of protest in Panjab and Haryana – erstwhile East Panjab.

I argue that because of its geography and history, standing up to oppression is in Panjab’s blood.

Please read more here…

even if they appeared briefly, the farmer, labour, arthiya, small shopkeeper protests against Farm Laws are fast moving out of the pages of newspapers and TV channels. Yet, memory cannot be erased.

Thank you to Down to Earth and Rajat Ghai for choosing to run this extract from PANJAB: Journeys Through Fault Lines which talks about similar protests in the greater PANJAB area more than a century ago – in the early 1900s.

The piece questions what we call the ‘Green Revolution’, portrays the rebellion spearheaded by Sardar Ajit Singh Sandhu and in the second half a sort of listicle on the laws enacted by one the greatest lawmakers – Sir Chottu Ram of the Unionist Party.

The real tragedy of Panjab is our governments since Independence – both state and Centre – have ignored what their predecessors had set up. Unless core issues are solved, protests will continue.

Solidarity!

Please read more here …