Indian farmers all across the country have gone to New Delhi, the country’s capital, to protest new agricultural laws set in place by the Prime Minister. These protests began in 2020, and have been going on since. These laws provide private corporations with free rein in the agricultural marketplace, deregulating the sale crops and straying away from the traditional wholesale market system in India. These laws connect to Marxism, and not only do they conform to capitalist ideologies but strengthen its rein in a third world country, where big corporations profit off farmers. “In response, women farmers—mostly from the rural states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh—scrambled onto stages, took hold of microphones and roared back a unanimous ‘No!’” (Times). These women are the backbone of farming in India, yet when they fight back, they are told to go home and leave it to the men. Despite these tough times and living in harsh conditions in New Delhi, away from their families, these farmers have all come together and found strength in each other. When many farmers left to march and protest, women and other family members went to work in the fields, keeping what is left of the agricultural industry alive. While protesting and living in close quarters, they have a newfound appreciation that was never seen before. One lady stated, “‘Men don’t flinch when they see sanitary napkins anymore’” (Times). Although this may seem like a small step, in such a patriarchal society it shows growth. Outside of menstrual products, it represents the beauty hidden in these dark times. These farmers all came together to fight for their rights, to be seen, and in the process they have gained insight into other farmers lives, so similar yet so different. From this, I hope to shed light on this situation. India has constantly been overlooked, while these farmer’s have been protesting for over four months. I hope this impacts readers to become aware about issues pertaining to other nations, and educate ourselves about global issues and ways to help. In my artistic piece, I drew a farmer, who is a woman, standing in a field of her crops. I chose to draw this to show the power she holds, how she is not dependent on a man.

Misha Suresh is a senior at Fremont High School

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