All these indicate that farmers’ agitation is going to continue for a long time to come. Modi government is not showing any genuine concern about the farmers. At a time when farmers are agitating against the three farm laws, Modi government has come with an electricity bill which will further complicate the matter. Punjab farmers have already become restive against this Electricity Bill of 2021. Modi government is thus hardening its stand, which would further harden the farmers. What happened on July 22 in Delhi is nothing less than reaffirmation of the respective stands of both sides – the Modi government bent upon implementing the three controversial farm laws, and the agitating farmers sticking to the demand of repealing the same.
Political parties in opposition are however supporting the farmers’ cause. When the Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar arrived at the Parliament, the opposition MPs protesting outside the Parliament flashed pro-farmers placards at him. He reiterated the government ‘commitment’ to engage the farmers, but with a condition that the farmers should flag specific objections to the laws in question. He has been all along claiming on behalf of the Modi government that the three farm laws are for the benefit of the farmers, but his claim was rejected by the farmers in the Kisan Sansad calling it “hollow” and the three farm laws anti-farmer. Farmers said that he should visit Kisan Sansad to understand their concerns.
Farmers’ agitation will become eight months old on July 26, which will be another milestone in the history of Indian farmers’ movement. Eleven rounds of talks failed to yield any result because both the sides not ready to compromise on their stands. The 11th round of talk failed on the eve of Republic Day on January 26, 2021, and thereafter there has not even a sign of talk visible. Union government is not taking any initiative for fresh talks, but have always been reiterating “ready for talk” if “farmers have any specific objection” on the three laws. Farmers, on the other hand, have been reiterating their demand of “not less than repeal of the laws”.
Farmers agitation is showing all signs of escalation in other states, particularly in poll bound states in the early 2022, such as in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Quit India Day, August 9, will be observed by agitating farmers in Uttar Pradesh as “Modi Gaddi Chhodo’ day and will continue thereafter. Kisan Mahapanchayat will be organized in Uttar Pradesh in September. Only recently a Kisan Mahapanchayat was organized in Haryana to protest against sedition cases registered against agitating farmers. The Kisan Mahapanchayat is September will ask farmers not to vote and support the BJP in coming Vidhan Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh.
Only a few hundred metres away from the protest site at Jantar Mantar, the opposition MPs, including those of the Congress, SAD, and AAP staged a protest inside Parliament complex demanding repeal of the three farm legislations. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi led a protest by party MPs at Parliament complex, expressing solidarity with agitators at Jantar Mantar. SAD, the former ally of the BJP in NDA, which quit the alliance in protest of enactment of the three laws, also protested in the Parliament complex. SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “Akali Dal will not give up till the Centre repeals three farm laws.” AAP MP Bhagwant Mann from Punjab also protested against the three laws, and supported the protesting farmers saying they ‘deserved justice’.
The situation at the protest sites at Jantar Mantar, and the three borders - Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri, has become tense with all indications of intensifying of the agitation and its spread in several states. On the second day of the protest at Jantar Mantar, ie on July 23, farmers organized ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’. In the Kisan Sansad they had now decided to carry on protest till August 13 as against the original permission until August 9, the period for which LG of NCT Delhi had given them permission to organize the same, with the condition that not more than 200 farmers should participate. It may be noted that Monsoon session of the Parliament will end on August 13.
Modi government had enacted the three farm laws in September 2020, and farmers have been agitating since then. ‘Dilli Chalo’ call was then given to farmers, and the farmers from Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh followed suit, braved hurdles in the way by BJP led governments in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, and finally reached Delhi borders on November 26, where they were stopped by Delhi Police. They were not allowed to enter Delhi and therefore they sat on sit-in protest on three places – Singh, Tikri, and Ghazipur. They braved the biting cold, scorching sun, and the rain. They have also support of central trade unions, bank and insurance employees unions, and the most of the political parties in opposition. They had also organized all India stirs, from Bharat Band to protests at state and district headquarters, and even at village levels. With passage of time the situation may get worse. (IPA Service)
‘FARMERS PARLIAMENT’ IS YET ANOTHER MILESTONE, MANY MORE TO COME
DEMAND FOR REPEALING THREE FARM LAWS RESONATED IN PARLIAMENT
Gyan Pathak - 2021-07-23 11:07
Farmers assembled at Jantar Mantar, staged protest, and organized their own parliament ‘Kisan Sansad’ on July 22, not far from the Parliament of India, which is in session. While the farmers’ parliament debated the APMC Act in two session, punctuated by a ‘langar’ on the first day, the Parliament of India complex and both the Houses – the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha – resonated with their demand, which was one of the reasons for adjournment of the Houses for the day. While the opposition were demanding ‘justice for farmers’, a Union minister from the ruling BJP was calling the farmers ‘hooligans’ in a press conference, the comment she had to withdraw, but only after sharp reaction from as far as Punjab, where Chief Minister of the State demanded her “immediate resignation” over it.