During the last two months of the farmer’s agitation, the government held 11 meetings with them, but on all occasions the agitators were told in clear words that the government will not repeal the three black agriculture laws. Government holding meetings with the farmers by construed by some people as the sign of its weakness. But in reality that was not.

After, Friday’s failed meeting of 11th round the government has shown its resolve to confront them. And on a single day three farmers leaders, who have been quite vocal in demanding abrogation of the laws, have been targeted. While one senior leader ManjinderSingh Sirsa has been arrested, another Darshan Pal is being trolled by the BJP IT cell and the third leader RakeshTikait is being threatened with dire consequences once he returns to his home state. Every attempt is being made to frighten the leaders. Though the farmers have been regularly complaining to the agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar about the abuses and insults being hurled on them by the BJP leaders, he has never taken them seriously. He always adopts a dismissive approach.

Modi and his party colleagues have made it explicit that the muscular government will not succumb to any protest and will implement its programme even it is against the interest of the people. Outwardly while Modi has been maintaining the façade of trying to assuage the feelings of the public, from inside his heart he continues to pursue his mission to serve the vested interest of his corporate friends.

Any other prime minister might have been preferred to rescind the three laws seeing the sufferings and death of 140 farmers. But Modi is unmoved. He has his own agenda which is much bigger than the agenda of the farmers, who according to the BJP ministers and its leaders, are being impelled by the Naxalites and Khaistanis. Modi dislikes looking weak or appearing to cower under pressure. The approach of the government is clearly manifest in the observation of the senior advocate Harish Salve before the Supreme Court “the halt shouldn’t be seen as a “political victory”, and that the protesters shouldn’t feel they have “won this round”.

No one should nurse the view that the farm laws would not becoming a reality anytime soon. There is no denying the fact that political system and the parties have provided space and moral boost to the government. Probably this was the best period in the history of India when the left and other secular parties could have made their significant dent. But they are behaving like ostrich. By not identifying with the protestors, they have been providing passive support to the BJP government and its agenda. They have trying to hide their failure behind the stand of the protesters not to allow the political parties to intervene in their movement. Interestingly at no stage the protesting farmers told them not to carry out their programme away from the actual site of the protest.

Like the Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019 which has gone out of the political discourse soon the three farm laws will lose the peoples’ attention. CAA is now the part of the history. Government engaging in talk is the strategy to tire the farmers.

After failure talks, the government did not fix the date for the next meeting. Now the farmers would have to intimate the government when they intend to discuss the issues. Agriculture minister told the farmers that too through the media, “If you reach a decision, inform us. We will discuss it again.” What does it imply?

It is also clear that farmers after two months of sustained protest could not accept the defeat. They have to assert, and that has to be done in a decisive manner. But the main question is how? More than for the farmers, this situation is a warning to the political system; if they want to be relevant they have to take a plunge. They cannot have a passive look sitting at the periphery. The future of the farmers also depends on the success of the January 26 tractor parade. Shockingly a section of media has already started maligning the tractor parade. They project it as anti-national step.

Even today the minister said there are no problems in the farm laws but the Government preferred to suspend them as a sign of respect for farmers. But he continues to be non-committal on the issue of repeal. Today’s meeting lasted for nearly fifteen minutes. “The minister made us wait for three & a half hours. This is an insult to farmers. When he came, he asked us to consider the government’s proposal and said that he is ending the process of meetings”, said a farmer leader.

A closer look at the events makes it apparent that the government was in an advantageous stage. With Supreme Court maintaining a non-committal approach, the situation has turned murky. The government is pursuing the politics of two step forward, one step backward. It is only cautious of the observation of the RSS leadership which has urged the government to be sensitive and end the farmers’ protests. Modi and his aides apprehend that it could embolden the “disapproving voices” inside the party.

Independent India has not witnessed this nature of movement. If the farmers fail in their mission, the country cannot aspire to have any movement in future and also the left and democratic forces will be finished for ever. This is not an attempt to paint a dark picture. The right forces will not allow space to the democratic aspirations.

Nevertheless it was inspiring to listen Harpal Singh, President of Bhartiya Kisan Union – Asli Arajnaitik, say "Even if we accept the government's offer, our fellow brothers sitting at Delhi borders will not accept anything other than a repeal of the laws. They will not spare us what achievement will we show to them?" He also questioned the government's credibility, alleging it was difficult to believe that they will keep their word on putting the laws on hold for 18 months. "We will die here but we will not return without getting the laws repealed," Singh said. Sonia Gandhi too said; “the government has shown shocking insensitivity and arrogance going through the charade of consultations".(IPA Service)