After 18 years of Army service, this Jawan is fighting for the Kisan

‘This government reminds us of the East India Company’ says Amarjit Singh, 34, who has served the Indian Army for 18 years. “This government only knows how to divide people, be it religion, caste, or anything else.”

Amarjit Singh retired from the army six months ago to return to farming in his small village Rashidpura, in Sikar district in Rajasthan. Four months later, he found himself in the nationwide protests against the three farm bills pushed by the Central Government in September 2020. “My entire family is here because these bills affect each one of us. My whole family is in farming, and after serving in the army for 18 years, now it is my duty to serve and fight for this country’s ‘Annadata (Farmers)’. I will fight till this government withdraws these anti-farmer laws. No one can stop us,” he says with determination.

Amarjit has 20 acres of farm in Rashidpura. He mainly grows wheat and onion along with Bajra, Peanuts and Chana. He has been protesting against the farm laws at Saharanpur Border, around 120 km away from Delhi since December 13th, 2020. “It doesn’t matter how many days we have to stay here, we can’t let these bills go through, it will destroy farmers,” he said when asked about why the farmers have been protesting for so long. “Modi wants to privatise everything, education, railways and now farming, he is hell-bent on making Ambani and Adani the richest people on earth.”

Amarjit Singh has served the Indian Army throughout India, his first posting was in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. Talking about the army and agriculture’s connection he says “I know the plight of farmers, because only sons of farmers and peasants serve the army, be it anywhere across the country. You won’t see Ambani or Adani’s son at the border. They can’t understand our pain.”

Amarjit Singh has dedicated his post-retirement life to farmers’ issues. “Modi has used the army just for elections. They don’t even care about the Army, they invoke fake patriotism to gain votes, it is there for all to see. The government has destroyed the social fabric of this country through rampant propaganda. But farmers will defeat this government,” Amarjit said, before he walked to the area where farmers had gathered to give a fiery speech followed by loud cheer and claps.