Echoes of protest: The role of art and literature in the Farmers and Laborers Protest

ABSTRACT In August 2020, farmers and laborers arrived in New Delhi, India to protest the repressive farm laws supported by the Modi Administration. Because traditional media refused to cover the protest or provided misinformation, many utilized social media to provide insight into the day-to-day life in protest. However, social media maintained ways disrupt exchanges of political content through censorship. As the protests unfolded, protest art and literature became vital to the adaptability of the movement. Protesters generated unique art and literature that followed long historical traditions of protest in Punjab and created new mediums to distribute knowledge, art, and literature.