Historicizing and preserving the present: The role of music during the Farmers’ Protest

ABSTRACT With the passing of three farm bills by the Parliament of India in September 2020, farmers and laborers from several different states marched to Delhi. The state used violence to dissuade protestors from entering the capital as government-sponsored media downplayed the situation. However, Punjabi artists came out strongly in support of the Farmers’ Protest by releasing dozens of songs of revolution. This article focuses on five songs which preserve the movement and highlight broader topics surrounding the protest including: the question of violence, the role of government-sponsored media censoring details, Sikh sovereignty, and the ongoing battle between Punjab and Delhi.