The defeat of Modi at the hands of Punjabi farmers reignited the glorious past of rebellion and resistance

• News By : Web Desk
• 2021-12-02 11:38:20

Karachi: 2 December 2021: There have always been two Punjabs. One is the Punjab of those who happily served the British and one that resisted colonial rule until 1848. There is the Punjab that provided soldiers for the imperialist First World War and there is the Punjab of the Ghadar Party, the most revolutionary group that organized militantly to overthrow colonial rule in the 1910s. You have the Punjab of General Dyer and his soldiers and the Punjab of those who defied Dyer's tyranny to create the most inspirational and influential anti-colonial uprising in India's history. There is the Punjab of sycophants who welcome tyrants and a Punjab of those students and workers who overthrew the military dictatorship of General Ayub Khan and valiantly resisted other dictatorships.
Today, the defeat of Modi at the hands of Punjabi farmers reignited the glorious past of rebellion and resistance that animates Punjab's history. Just like Punjab became the birthplace of a mass movement against colonial rule in 1920s, today it has become the birthplace of the anti-fascist movement in India.
It is always up to us which history we associate ourselves with. The history of submission and humiliation to the status quo. Or the eternal history of revolt and rebellion that makes Punjab the site for the defeat of the worst fascists. We must choose this proud Punjabi heritage of resistance.

Ammar Ali Jan

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