Farmers have been in a protest for over 3 months. Though the start of this protest was slow, various unions started marches towards the capital city, Delhi. Not only common people but almost everyone from Pollywood has joined in. They are supporting them by releasing several songs to boost their energy and motivating the youth to join this demonstration. But what are the actual demands and what exactly farmers need from the government? To catch the pulse of this widespread agitation, we talked with famous Punjabi singer, Harf Cheema who is involved in this farmers' protest against farm bills. Here we're presenting an exclusive interview by Roopam Singh with the singer.

You're doing a back and forth between Punjab and Delhi for a long time in the farmers' agitation, so what's the atmosphere right now?

The protest started from Punjab around 2-3 months back, but now this agitation is at the peak. And now, they (the government) are ready to make amendments, and that too around 99%. It's just a formality based bill that they want to apply, which might be due to corporate pressure. But our farmer leaders are somehow not convinced and are sticking to their agenda to dismiss these bills because they don't want to give a chance to the corporates to enter the farming system again.

Does that mean that right now there are trust issues from the farmers' side to end this protest?

It's not about trust, but it might be about the government's approach at the starting of the protest. If there were proper meetings at that time then the situation might have been different. But since you're talking about trust, I think the government never had a fixed state of mind from the start. Because in whatever meetings were held in the first 2 months, they (government) tried to convince the farmers that the bills are in the favor of farmers. But now, somehow, they have started listening to them after seeing the energy of farmers as they didn't lose hope even in the festive season and in such difficult climatic conditions. Thus, such an attitude of the government is the main reason behind this.

As an artist, you have been very closely involved in this agitation, from where did it start and why?

Actually, we started on 18 September but soon started going for agitations on a regular basis. Even our social media is full of farmers' posts and we haven't posted any commercial information or anything personal. When we started, me and Kanwar Grewal Ji realised that this was an issue of earning our daily bread. And it's not only about one field but it's about various people. For instance, if 10 shops get closed due to a mall or privatization or when the government grain market gets closed then it's about the intermediates. So that's why I think it's not only about farmers but about every household and their food. We are motivated to work for people who made us special, so now it's our duty to return their love and faith in us.

Your association with Kanwar Grewal is very close and you are releasing a lot of motivational music together. What is the influence of his music on you?

At the beginning of my career, whatever I sang whatever I wrote myself. When we both started meeting and analyzing the situation we went into deep discussion. He always motivated me and asked if we can convert all these things into compositions or lyrics that represent the voice of the farmer. So, he sang the song 'Faslaan De Faisley Kisaan Karuga' and I sang 'Sarkaraan' and after that, we released one track together 'Jawani Zindabad'. Now the next track 'Balle Shera' will be out on January 1. So, we nailed down what we observed in society.

Is this a turning point in your career? Earlier, your commercial releases were far different from the current ones.

Yes, Of Course, when there's a huge transformation in society, like earlier, there was less political awareness, and in fact, we used to compromise with our self-respect for personal benefits, and all these scenarios were seen in the music. And now, when people understand that there's no other option to fight for their rights, they have to stand by them, so I think, music should also be like that to boost the energy because if there would be any old formula commercial song released, the acceptance of such songs is ni lat the moment on the ground level.



Your music has become meaningful today...

Yes true, and the second big change in us is that earlier we were only singers, not peoples' voice. But now, when we sing one song at various places, in a langar, camp, stall or anywhere in the sit-ins,the public sings with us. Now, I feel like I have become somebody and a true singer.

In olden times in Gurdwaras, there were Dhada Jathas to motivate people through battles and wars, are you taking inspiration from them?

Yes exactly, we feel like we are playing the same role but we never sit in the meetings of unions as it's our personal decision. Because it's our farmers' right to make any decision so our role is just a supporting role.

And in Delhi, on which border do you spend most of your time?

Gazipur border, Palwar border and right now, Jaipur border, we get calls from there. So we usually make a schedule a day before and attend 2-3 places in a day. Like, a few days back at the Tikri border, one of our friends who is a doctor, came from the USA to set up a medical camp over there. So, he requested us to come. On that border, there are a huge number of people (around 25,000-30,000) and the garbage was not getting collected, therefore the outbreak of infections. So, after listening to this, we spent 2-3 days at Tikri border, I, Kanwar Grewal, and many more artists took the initiative to clean the place. After watching us, slowly other people got involved and now, there are teams to maintain cleanliness. So, that's it wherever people need us, we go there.

Do you spend your day in different camps?

Yes, true.

That's very very nice. So Harf right now the people from urban areas who are not physically participating in the protest are following you and other artists on social media, what will be your message to them? Will you appeal to them to come forward and join the protest?

Yes indeed, we are going to start a challenge like earlier there were ice bucket challenges in the world, which is just a symbolic thing in such protests. So we're going to start such a challenge that our NRI brothers have suggested to us to stand outside at your house just for a minute with any slogan for farmers along with the name and residence, written on the board, to show that we feel the pain of farmers. So, it's a challenge we appeal to all our followers to follow suit. Plus, when you talk about the urban residents, this time we got successful to bring people to this protest because they understand that it will affect them too if the privatization will increase in basic sectors too.

Do you live in Chandigarh or in your village?

I live in Mohali

So what's your message for Chandigarh's youth?

For Chandigarh, Mohali, and every city's youth, I just want to say... Actually, the reality you can see by going on the ground and there are various ladies from the cities who are joining the protest. So, I think everywhere, people are talking about these bills only. Moreover, as our farmers say, the government is stretching the issue so that they will go on their own as time passes but I want to say one thing that if the protest will take big proportions and the control of the government will also decrease day by day. Second thing, our youth will also get filtered and the youngsters who are left behind there at the end will come to realize what actually a struggle is.

Thank you so much for participating and best of luck with the protest, we are enthusiastically waiting for your next song, will it be out on December 1, 2021? What is the title?

1st of December. Its called Balle Shera

So it sounds like a victory already!

Yes, actually, earlier fathers and grandfathers taunt their children that they don't obey them but this song is about the son who says 'Don't worry father, you just make a plan, I'm with you'.

Sat Sri Akal