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Painting a fight
Updated On: 17 January, 2021 10:09 AM IST | Mumbai | Prutha Bhosle
Why have artists and photographers been camping with farmers at Tikri Border for the two months they've been agitating against the farm laws? A group of 14 creative minds say this is their opportunity to both, help and .

On December 20, 2020, when farmer unions observed Homage Day or Shaheed Divas for the fallen protesters, a farmer carried a photograph of his son, who died in a road accident while on his way to the Tikri Border. Pic/Varinder Maddoke
Bonfires are a ritual of the harvest festival of Lohri, widely celebrated with pomp and fervour in the northern states of the country. But when this writer rang Randeep Maddoke on January 13, there seemed no sign of celebrations. "They [protesters] just finished burning copies of the farm laws. It has been a long, busy day. Slogans were shouted against the Centre and the administration criticised for not acceding to their demand of repealing the laws. I've never seen Lohri celebrated like this before. The farmers are determined to change their destiny, and there is no turning back. But they are also mourning fallen protesters, young and old," says Maddoke, a concept photographer and documentary filmmaker, who is holding his ground on Tikri Border for the last two months.
Tens of thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting at key entry points to the national capital for over 40 days against the laws, surviving temperatures as low as three degrees Celsius. Over 50 farmers have died, either owing to the cold or accidents, creating global headlines.
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