In February, Sharanpreet Kaur, 22, a fourth-year dentistry student from the University of Sheffield started an online campaign to show support for people in India. Now she explains why Punjab, a state in India, holds a special place in her heart.
She said: “I was born here but the land in India has been in my family for generations. I have been visiting India since I was a child. Punjab is my homeland. It is the birthplace of Sikhism and contains the origins and very essence of teachings I live by and breathe every day.”
“For me it is my heritage, my identity. If I do not have an identity, who am I as a person? If I do not have what makes me, ME, then I don’t have anything. Punjab makes me the person I am.”
“I always think about my family back in India. I am very close to my uncle who is a farmer in Punjab. He is the main person on my Instagram posts. He has to travel between the protest site in Delhi and his land back at Punjab. It is very difficult for him and his family.”
“His wife, daughter and two sons are always wondering when will he come home? Will he ever come back? I am worried too. And sometimes we cannot contact him, especially when the Internet is down. There was one situation when I was particularly worried about him.”
“Part of the protests was a tractor rally on January 26th. And January 26th is a Republic Day which is the Independence Day in India. Over 200 000 tractors were going to do circuit around Delhi. My uncle took his tractor and went there as well.”
EXPLAINER: Why are farmers protesting in India?
“The police agreed for this form of protest. They promised they would lift the barriers on a certain time and allow people to peacefully move. “
“I thought that sounds too easy. It is the Independence Day, the media keeps portraying protesters as terrorists, the Prime Minister has not even acknowledged the farmers, peacefully protesting people are dying in cold, they are not sent any government doctors. And now suddenly the police are allowing a tractor rally on the Independence Day.”
“I did not sleep the night before the rally because I knew my uncle was going to be there. My parents phoned me at 3a.m. They could not fall asleep either.”
“In the morning, my uncle kept sending videos with updates showing the preparations. Activists were saying they want to be peaceful. They were just going to ride tractors in the circle, go the route that was agreed. It calmed me down, I focused on uni work.
“In the afternoon I rang my mum and asked how the protest went. She said everything went wrong. She was in tears. I was in tears too, because I thought the protests were finished. Tractors went to the ‘Red Fort’ – a historical place we were not supposed to be.
“My uncle explained to me later that the police opened the wrong barriers and kept the right route closed. Many tractors went wrong way and that is why they got to the historic ‘Red Fort’.
“My uncle knew they were not supposed to be in the ‘Red Fort’. He took a picture when it was still peaceful and silent, and he turned back to the border of the state. He also took some people with him.
“In the meantime, the situation in ‘Red Fort’ became violent. I saw some terrific footage. Farmers being beaten up by the police, the elderlies being beaten up as well, legs covered with blood, one person died. And obviously, at the same time, the Indian media portrayed us as terrorists, not victims.
“After the protest, the government switched off the Internet around Delhi. It was not the first time in the last months. It puts in context how important social media is. There was a genocide in India in 1984. We did not have social media then, so the world stood by, no one did anything.
“But now the Internet gives us a voice. People from India currently living in other countries are fighting, speaking up. I hope that the information becomes more viral, so at least people around the world will be aware of what is going on, the message will get out.
“Now the battle is online. That is why I am trying to use all the platforms to raise awareness. Mainstream media just briefly commentated situation in India at the beginning of the protests and my friends were askingme what is going on in Delhi.
“That is why I put posts explaining why protests in India are important for me on my LinkedIn profile. I also created an Instagram page, where I regularly post about protests, my home state of Punjab, my family in India.
“A couple of my friends wanted to help me with the campaign. Some people took pictureswith banners saying they support farmers in India. One of them was James, the president of the dental society. I am very thankful for that.
“But looking for help just from the dental school is thinking too small. I am hoping to find more like-minded people in the other departments and societies. I want to get more awareness, get the ball rolling. I do not think I will ever stop posting until we finish the protests.
“As I said, this battle is online. Many people are twitting, commenting. But sometimes social media become the source of propaganda. There was one Bollywood actress that called Sikhs cancer. Later she deleted that tweet because she was being bashed for it.
“There was also one group that tweeted that Sikh people should die. I messaged the group and said they will get badly bashed for promoting the genocide. They immediately deleted their twitter account and later their Instagram.
“I found the number online that night. I called them and asked what was all that nonsense promoting the genocide. I said: When what we are standing up for is just our land which is our livelihood, do you think we should die? How are you living with yourself with this on your consciousness? Do you understand how many people you have hurt? You can delete your Twitter account, but words are sharper than weapons so please do not do it again.
“When I said it, the woman I was talking to was very apologetic and said that her words got twisted but I do not see how you could twist that. Now the organisation deleted their social media, it did cast a very big black mark over them. I think they are finished. But the battle in India has not finished.
“The truth is I want to be an inspirational Indian woman, but I cannot carry this all by myself. Please continue to speak and support! The farmers are still there, in peace, and every person who stands with them only amplifies their voice!
