Farmers have been agitating against the new agricultural laws on the Delhi border since 28 November. The Central Government is trying to deal with this movement that has been going on for 40 days. While some media institutions are trying to prove this movement as anti-national movement, some youth in this protest started a mini school at the dharna (protest) site which is being called Sanjhi Sath (mini school).
Sanjhi is the place at the Singhu Border where you can come and read books and literary things. Not only this, the youth are giving free education to the slum children living around as well. The place looks like a mini school or education hub at the protest site which is a ray of hope for the slum-dwellers. While all of us are busy making our own different conceptions for dharna, the young protestors have created a new example in the movement for others. The agitators are giving education to the children coming from the slums, they are giving basic education and trying to educate them.
A group of eight youngsters have started a mini school called Sanjhi Sath. While we hear about langar related to food, medicines and more, these young people have started the “langar of education“. Not just primary education, even art-related education is imparted at the school.
Advocate Dinesh Chadha, who is a member of the Sanjhi Sath team, says, “In the beginning, we had kept only books that people present in the movement could spend their time reading. Initially, people used to come here and read books. Farmers present in the movement would not have anything to do in their spare time, so we thought of creating a place where they could spend their time reading books.”
Garry Biring, another team member and alumni of Oxford University, tells us that in the early days, their motive was only to use free time well, but in a couple of days, the children living around started coming there and the team started teaching those children. Due to the lockdown, where all the schools are closed, it became a mini-school for children where they could study and learn.
Parminder Goldy, Former PUSC President curses the national media and says, “Some of the popular media channels are bent on proving the agitation as an anti-national movement, but this “Sanjhi Sath” is a slap on them. This will be the first movement of the country where langar of education is distributed.” He sarcastically said that “Je Padhega India Tbhi Wadhega India”.
It would be wrong to say who will win but this Sanjhi Sath (mini school) puts a question mark on those who are trying to prove that these movements are anti-national because true anti-national forces would never work towards educating our countrymen. These protestors are creating a new and unique example in the movement giving education to children.