Countywide farmers’ agitation is going on against three agriculture bills passed by the Union Government. Mostly the farmers of Punjab and Haryana are showing their resentment against these bills. However, government has given lot of assurances to the farmers, but farmers are continuously putting pressure on Government through their mass protest. A large number of protesting farmers are on roads and highways with their family members. They have brought sufficient stock of eatables and other necessary items along with them at protesting site. It seems that this time they have prepared for a long term protest. No doubt in this cold climate it is very difficult to sit on protest in an open area. Government is also serious over the issue and concerns of farmers. Even the agriculture minister and other cabinet ministers repeatedly appealed to the farmers to call off their agitation and chose the medium of table discussion. Several meetings have been organised on the issue to resolve the dispute and dilemma of farmers. Even the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has personally intervened on this issue of farmers. But the agitating farmers are firm on their demands. They are continuously demanding to dismiss these black laws. No doubt few demands and claims of farmers are genuine but we can’t say that all is wrong in these bills. Even the Government is willing to listen to the grievances and proposals of farmers but it is very difficult to cancel all the bills, because Government has passed these bills in Parliament with the consent of majority of votes. Even the President of India has passed these bills as per the protocol of democratic structure. Now these bills have taken shape of law. At this time, if the Government issue an ordinance to cancel these bills then it will be a mockery of the democratic set up. It will become a custom in the country to adopt this way of protest to change any design of Government as per desire and comfort. It will give birth to a wrong culture in our democracy which is not beneficial for anyone. People will start protests for other vital issues like NRC and CAA in the same pattern. We have already seen the Shaheen Bagh incident in past. No doubt in a democracy everyone has the privilege and right to put his / her opinion. Nobody can challenge the way of peaceful agitation but we can’t ignore the methods and modus operandi of democratic structure. Farmers are uncertain about the MSP, contract farming structure, legal obligations for their grievances and exclusion of Mandi structure. No doubt Jobber (Aadti) will get a great setback in this new structure. It seems that the main playback actors are the Jobber behind this whole agitation who are continuously using the innocent farmers for grinding their own axe. Few political parties are also adding fuel to this fire by their dubious attitude. Even those parties, who supported the resolution of these bills in assembly, are now creating panic among farmers. It is need of the hour to call a special session of the parliament to clear the uncertainties of farmers and to expose the agenda of different political parties over the issue. Government has given the assurances of amendment in these bills. Even the Prime Minister has announced on several platforms the benefits of these bills for farmers. It is a dream vision of the Government to double the income of farmers in 2022, but with old policies and sluggish design we can’t achieve that dream. One positive aspect of this agitation is that it is totally a peaceful protest and movement of farmers. There is no law and order problem for our security forces. But now, the strategy of total barricading of capital city will create chaos and confusion in coming days for general public. Some out of box formula is needed to eradicate this problem of farmers. We hope that farmer leaders must understand the technicalities behind this issue and give their proposals of amendment rather then to stick on only one solution. We are living in a democratic country and no Government intentionally works against the public. No doubt every policy has some flaws and loopholes in its framework but by and large these policies are designed, keeping in mind the comfort and benefits of general masses. Before the formation of such policies and bills, Government has invited the opinion of various agriculture experts, field advisors and other eminent policy makers. After the brainstorming and detailed discussion of these people, the final blue print of such bills came into existence. Few farmer leaders are showing their consent to resolve this issue but others who have misleaded behind the curtain are expressing their resentment. Some trouble creating elements who generally visit such sites of agitation in their luxury vehicles are pushing these innocent farmers against the Government. Even the Canadian Prime Minister has remarked his opinion in favour of protesting farmers. It exposes design and agenda of such elements. There are large number of farmers in other states also but the severity of this resentment is more in Punjab and Haryana. Majority of farmers are in favour of these bills. Even some section the farmers of Punjab and Haryana are in favour of these bills and needs some amendment before the implementation, but few hidden elements are giving push to these farmers. There is an urgent need to expose the agenda of such elements who are misleading the innocent farmers. Such fake farmers believe in the strategy of making hay while the sun shay. They are trying to harvest the yield of this agitation.
By Shyam Sudan
