100 days of farmers’ agitation is a milestone in India’s history

March 6, 2021 is being observed as a ‘black day’ by farmers. They have every reason for observing it as such. Marking the 100th day of their agitation has become another milestone. About 250 farmers have lost their lives during the protest since it began on November 26, 2020, but it has remained peaceful barring only a few incidents of violence such as witnessed on the Republic day. Large participation of women and older farmers is its unique feature. The government even resorted to inhuman actions such as digging around the protest sites, trying to obstruct essential supplies like food and water, and police action, but the agitators braved all including the biting cold of the winter under open sky, and are prepared to continue their agitation even under the scorching sun of the summer, and the rain thereafter.

The government and its supporters tried to isolate the protestors by setting the narrative that anti-national elements and terrorist organisations are funding the agitation. Many who spoke in support of farmers were booked under sedition, their houses raided, implicated in cases, and even arrested. Many countries sympathized with the agitating farmers and even Supreme Court of India tried to intervene. But nothing worked.

Modi government is adamant on implementing the three farm laws it has enacted and the farmers are not ready to end their agitation unless the government withdraws the same. The government claims the laws would greatly benefit the farmers, and the farmers believe the legislations are anti-farmers. All non-BJP political parties are supporting the farmers’ demand, and SAD, an important ally of the BJP has left NDA protesting against the laws.

One of the narratives of the government and its supporters suggested that the greater number of the agitators were not even farmers. When it failed to have any impact on the people’s mind, the narrative was changed to make people believe that the agitating farmers are mainly from Punjab and Haryana and farmers of the rest of the country are not supporting the agitation. However, the agitation soon spread to other parts of the country and found support from even transporters and trade unions. All India protests and closure (bandh) were also organised.

Then our Prime Minister came with his suggestion that the farmers are misinformed, and the government was ready to talk with the farmers, and even to halt the implementation of the laws for 18 months. Several rounds of talks between the representatives from both sides were held but did not yield any result. Government was not ready to repeal the laws and farmers were not ready to accept anything short of the repeal. The Supreme Court of India had even suggested that government put on hold the laws and had formed a committee for negotiation on the issues. It also failed because the committee had members who were known to have formerly supported government line of agriculture market reform, and the farmers refused to accept them as negotiators.

The agitation has slowly been acquiring several serious social, economic, and political dimensions. In Punjab and Haryana, the social fabric is fast deteriorating, and is being felt in all the agricultural market towns. These states are known as the ‘bowl of grain’ for the country for a long time, and if the public procurement suffers, the country will have to face a serious level of food ‘insecurity’.

These states are the main beneficiaries of the older system of FCI purchase on MSP, and therefore the government cannot brush aside the issue by telling the people that the farmers of only these two states are agitating against the three laws. The farmers of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra etc have also come out with big protest rallies. Its political dimension is more disturbing, first for the BJP, and then for all other political parties. In Punjab, people were so angry that they said they would welcome the BJP candidates with ‘wreaths of shoes’ if they come for election campaign during the civic polls. BJP could not even campaign. It was a disturbing political dimension. Farmers and workers have now joined hands and have launched political campaigns against the BJP in the five states going to polls. ‘Farmers becoming political’ is a significant development, given that they have remained apolitical during the agitation.

The passage of these controversial agri-market reform laws in September 2020 has been fought by farmers right from the beginning. Local protests were organised in several parts of the country, but chiefly in Punjab. After two months, the farmers’ unions of Punjab and Haryana gave a call for “Dilli Chalo” and moved towards Delhi in tens of thousands.

Protestors were attacked with water cannons, batons, and tear gas to prevent them entering Delhi and Haryana. Farmers braved it all and reached the Delhi boarders. A nationwide general strike was observed on November 26, and within four days around 2-3 lakh farmers converged at various borders on the way to Delhi. Road and rail blockades were also observed but the agitators remained by and large peaceful.

On the Republic Day, January 26, tens of thousands of farmers held a farmers’ parade parallel to the Republic Day parade in which a large convoy of tractors drove into Delhi. It is still a matter of investigation as to how a number of protestors deviated from the sanctioned route, clashed with police, installed a flag on the rampart of the Red Fort. There are suspicions from both the sides. Farmers claimed it was stage-managed by the government to defame the protestors, and the government claimed it was a handiwork of the anti-nationals. Due to police actions following the incidents many of the agitating farmers had to leave the protest sites. However, after initial setbacks, an upsurge in the agitation is being noticed in other states too.

This agitation is led by Samyukta Kisan Morcha in which scores of farmers’ union are participating. The government has been trying to split the unity of the farmers, in which it has gained a limited success too. A few farmers’ unions have changed their stance and are supporting the government line, but they don’t have much support base among the farmers.

The agitating farmers have decided to further intensify their agitation. Modi government is still relying on their narrative of international conspiracy, action against agitators and their supporters, and weakening the strength of farmers in due course of time. Farmers have also found their sympathizers and support both in India and abroad. Even US, UK, Australia, Canada, UN, IMF have urged Government of India to consider the farmers’ demand along with numerous academicians, journalists, and eminent personalities.

(IPA Service)