Talks between the Indian government ministers and farmers’ leaders have failed to break the deadlock in a dispute over laws passed earlier this year. The protest is being made to deregulate the agriculture sector. This has ignited the country’s biggest farm protests in years. Thousand of farmers are protest against government, the laws seeking to rid the sector of procurement procedures and allow farmers to sell to institutional buyers and big international retailers.
‘I am very thankful to the Narendra Modi government’ , ‘we are grateful to PM Modi’ These lines can be heard from any farmer you meet in the sea of people spread over 15 kms on the border of Delhi. They are grateful to PM Modi for helping them intermingle with other farmers and get united to fight for their rights.
Fortunately, when you think that you find a BJP supporter would give you a clear picture, he says, that he was once a BJP supporter but now supports the farmers and also says, “I am grateful because this farm law has united us. We farmers were sleeping while the country was being sold off to corporations. Now we are awake and will protect all of you.”
Farmers have set up camps and are surrounding the national capital. The farmers are so determined and have clarity of thought that the government has to either step back or make changes to the new farm laws.
Though the government has initiated to bring in some changes, the farmers are not ready to accept anything less than the abolition of the farm laws.
This agitation of farmers is led by Sikhs from Punjab, but farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh are also there. These farmers have arrived on tractors, jeeps, buses, four-wheel drives and cars to camp out for several months. They seems to be like the medieval armies of the past. Elaborate tents have been set up giving an impression that they are determined to return only when the laws are abolished.
Many celebrities and all the political parties have extended their support to the farmers. Long standing activists, who have worked on agricultural and labour issues for decades are also extending their support to the farmers. All of them are protesting together and speaking the same language about being sold off to corporate interests.
The traditional sikhs are very disheartened by the way the ruling party is describing the movement as being run by Khalistan. “They will call us tukde tukde gang [which aims to break India into pieces] or Khalistanis to discredit a movement that is about agricultural problems,” They say that they would rather work with known middle-men in traditional agriculture markets than allow corporations sitting afar and dictate terms for the sector.
Farmers say that their fight is for their self respect, and also because the government thinks they are fools. All the farmers are aware of the Swaminathan Committee report, 2004 and questioning why the government has never implemented it. They say that they have a clarity for what they are fighting for.
Their protest is not just about resisting new farm laws. It is about India being sold to big corporations. Modi, Ambani and Adani are being criticized boldly in the same lines.
This farmer protests is potent, organic and hard to see the problems faced by the farmers in the cold winters of Delhi and how the government can shut this down.
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