PUNJAB Farmers' Agitation Response to Development Crisis of Agriculture Sucha Singh Gill K C Singhal PUNJAB has a strong tradition of organised peasant movements. Peasants have successfully fought many agitations and produced many mature leaders at various times. The peasant movement in Punjab has had strong links with the peasant movement at the national level on one hand and the democratic movement on the Other. Historically the peasant movement developed as a part of the national independence struggle. In the canal colonies agitation of 1907, Punjab peasantry was mobilised by leaders of the stature of Sardar Ajit Singh, an uncle of Sardar Bhagat Singh. Again in 1924 Punjab peasants successfully fought an agitation against the water rate. The Kisan Sabha movement in 1930s mobilised the peasantry on the issues of water rate and land revenue. Many freedom fighters found it useful to work among peasants, mobilise them on their problems and integrate peasant struggles with the national independence movement. Going by the numerical strength and militarft tradition, diverse elements came to be active among the peasants, some working with a nationalist perspective and others with a narrow perspective of attaining political power. The Unionist Party came to represent the latter trend.
