ANN| New Delhi | 09 Nov 21

Farmers’ protests are continuing at different places in the country, and notably on the borders of Delhi. While there have been claims that the protest is being organized by big farmers but a study conducted by two economists associated with Punjabi University at Patiala has revealed that the farmers who have died during the protest cultivated less than or equal to  an average of 2.94 acres of land. 600 farmers have allegedly died in the protest so far.  The news has been published by The Wire.

The study report was published by Lakhwinder Singh, former professor of economics at Punjabi University, and Baldev Singh Shergill, assistant professor of social sciences at Punjabi University’s Guru Kashi Campus in Bathinda.

 “The average size of the cultivated plot goes down to 2.26 acres if we include landless deceased farmers who were cultivating on the contracted land,” revealed the study.

The study is based on data on 460 of the 600 farmers who died in the last 11 months of protest and the families of the deceased were contacted personally while conducting the study.

The findings of the report implied that lives lost during the protest were of small and marginal farmers, and landless cultivators. The study also revealed that those who died in the movement belonged to lowest rung in the farming community. This means that poor farmers who died in the protest have left behind destitute families, many of whom have debt.

According to the study, the most important feature of the protest movement of the farmers is that it has followed Gandhian principles of peace and a high degree of consciousness for crafting the programme accordingly.

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