TAD NewsDesk, New Delhi: Thousands of farmers have marched to Delhi from the states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to protest against the Indian farm reforms of 2020 passed by the centre in the month of September. The three acts which have led the farmers to a state of total desolation and destitution are:
- Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020
- Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020
- Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called these bills as “a watershed moment in the history of Indian agriculture that will empower crores of farmers.”
The Modi led government is claiming the advantages of the bills as follows:
- MSP will not be affected
- The role of the “intermediator or the middleman” between the farmers and the corporate sellers would be nullified so that the farmers will be able to sell the products directly to traders.
- The marginal farmers constitute 86% of the area and these bills will bring profit to their domain.
What are the farmers scared of?
- The MSP system will be dismantled which will lead the farmers to get a much lesser price for their crops over time because of the atrocities of the corporate firms.
- Without the middleman or the “arthiyas,” the mandi system is at ruins and they won’t get reasonable prices for their crops. The loans that the arthiyas used to help them with will also become unavailable.
Congress led governments and even NDA alliance partner Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has raised their concerns and disagreement with the Centre. Moreover, BJP ally, Hanuman Beniwal, Rashtriya Loktantrik chief and Rajasthan MP, has also urged the centre to talk to the farmers immediately otherwise ready to break off with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Farmers throughout the country have been raising a hue and cry to make their voice echo in the centre, but it has been in vain till now. In Punjab, as a means, the farmers also did the “rail roko” agitation due to which the Railway Department suspended its train services since October 1.
In the states of Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the government also passed bills against the Centre farm laws to show their stand with the protesting farmers.
As the farmers realized their voices were not heard in the centre, they decided to move their agitation to Delhi with the slogan, “Delhi Chalo”. On November 25, they were met by police on the borders of Delhi. Before that, the Haryana police tried to stop the marching parade of thousands of farmers on its border with water cannons and tear gas. Similarly, Delhi Police at the border of Tigri and Singhu tried to stop the protesters from crossing barricades with tear gas and water cannons.
The Delhi Police also requested the state government to turn stadiums into temporary prison cells for the farmers, but Kejriwal led AAP government denied the request stating,
“The farmers’ demands are justified. The Centre should immediately accept the demands put forth by the farmers. The farmers’ agitation is entirely peaceful.”
Home Minister, Amit Shah met with the farmers and requested to shift their protests to Burari in Delhi where they could have the proposed talk which was denied by the farmers saying they will not move. He also invited various farm organizations on December 3 to have an earlier discussion.
The farmers are staying put in the borders of Tigri and Singhu. Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal also twitted in favour of the farmers saying, ‘Centre should initiate unconditional talks’.
Currently, as on November 30, The protesting farmers have threatened to block five entry points to Delhi and hence Amit Shah has met with Agriculture Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar to discuss the issue for the second time. According to sources, the Home Minister also met with the Defense Minister Rajnath Singh at BJP chief JP Nadda’s Delhi house on the previous day to discuss the situation.
The farmers have started to lose their tolerance and wants to discuss their demands as soon as possible. The situation has worsened after one of the protestors died yesterday of a heart attack. This is the second death since they have started their march to Delhi.
The raging farmers’ agitation is symbolic of a big agricultural revolution of the 21st century. While most of the state governments are opposed to the “anti farm laws”, the centre has still not changed their stance. The farmers have been fighting for their rights with every inch of vigour they have and is resolute in their demands.
