In Photos: Protesting Farmers in India Take Shelter in Their Tractors

During the ongoing protests at the border of India's capital, New Delhi, tens of thousands of farmers have braved the pouring rain and bone-chilling winter. The farmers are protesting against the new agricultural laws proposed by the government that will influence food procurement and pricing. They fear the new laws will benefit big corporations at their expense, leaving them to fend for themselves in the free market. The stalemate between the government and the farmers continues despite several rounds of talks.

However, stories of hope and solidarity continue to emerge from the site of the protest. To survive the constantly dipping temperature away from their homes, hundreds of farmers—many of them campaign with their families—have been sleeping in their tractor trolleys.

These makeshift homes caught the eye of New Delhi-based independent photographer Javed Sultan, who wanted to capture visuals of hope to serve as a point of departure from the hordes of images flooding the Internet.

“The tractor trolley used for farming has now become a symbol of resistance and is being used to save farmers from perceived destruction,” Sultan told VICE World News. “Each tractor is brimming with life,” completely equipped with gas stoves, electricity sources and other personal belongings.”

Language barrier was another reason why Sultan said he documented this aspect of the protest. He does not speak Punjabi, the language of the majority of farmers at the protest site. “I was unable to understand their thoughts about the protests.”

People of Indian origin residing in various countries have express solidarity with farmers in India. 

The trolley has also inspired initiatives like the Trolley Times newspaper and its digital offshoot Trolley Talkies, that aim to keep protesting farmers informed and motivated during the protests and to share their message with the masses.

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