Taking farmers for granted fraught with peril

Devinder Sharma

Food & Agriculture Specialist

PM Narendra Modi perhaps got a sense of the massive farmers’ resistance that has been building over the years in Punjab when he visited Patiala on Thursday to address a political rally. The city turned into a fortress as thousands of security personnel were deployed to keep protesting farmers away.

However, with their peaceful protest, including laying a ‘siege’ to the entry points to the city, holding demonstrations with black flags and staging a dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office, the farmers managed to demonstrate their ire and exasperation. Growers in the north-western region of the country have certainly emerged as a powerful force. After their iconic agitation at the borders of New Delhi in 2020-21, the farmers’ movement has emerged as a counterbalancing exercise to neutralise the growing corporate influence so as to bring back the focus on the economic stability of the toiling farming masses.

Unlike in the past, farming issues have now begun to occupy the limelight internationally. In Europe alone, 24 of the 27 EU nations recently saw unprecedented protests, which forced the heads of governments of member countries to listen to the irate tillers.

Contrary to how European countries allowed farmers to come all the way to capital cities, the Indian government had erected barriers to stop them from reaching New Delhi. Multiple layers of security personnel in riot gear and the fencing of highways with barbed wires and spikes had stalled the march of farmers. For the agitators, it became clear that they were not being allowed to enter the Capital to raise their demands. Instead of getting into a confrontation, they stayed put at the border.

Earlier this week, a large number of farmers had assembled on the call of protesting farm unions belonging to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) at Shambhu and Khanauri in Punjab (bordering Haryana) to mark the completion of 100 days of the ‘Dilli Chalo’ march, which began on February 13 but was stopped by security forces.

“If the government does not allow farmers to reach Delhi, they too will not allow BJP candidates to enter villages,” goes the common refrain.

Besides BJP candidates, agitating farmers have also blocked the entry of candidates belonging to the Jannayak Janta Party, which was a coalition partner of the BJP in Haryana. Farmers continue to pose questions to the poll candidates about their demands, particularly a legal guarantee of procurement at the minimum support price (MSP) for various crops.

In any case, the agitating tillers are not letting BJP candidates enter the villages for campaigning in Punjab, Haryana and, to some extent, adjoining parts of Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh. In Himachal Pradesh, too, apple farmers have been protesting against the failure to hike the import tariffs that can minimise the surge in imports. A number of video clips show how protesting farmers have made the BJP nominees beat a retreat.

It’s been easy for some political leaders, a section of the urban elite and the media to accuse farmers of staging protests for vested interests and hurl abuse at them — labelling them as Khalistanis and ‘anti-nationals’. What they have failed to realise is that all the vilification that continues to be done has hurt the pride of the farming community. After all, let’s not forget that the sturdy farmers of Punjab and Haryana pulled the country from the throes of a ‘ship-to-mouth’ existence, when food would come directly from the ships to feed the hungry. An ungrateful nation cannot be allowed to treat them as an economic burden. Even now, any shortfall in production arising from climatic aberrations shifts the nation’s focus to Punjab’s farmers. All efforts are then made to increase the procurement of wheat and paddy in Punjab and Haryana, jointly known as the food bowl of the country.

These cultivators continue to ensure food security for the nation, essential for maintaining national sovereignty. They slog day and night, defying the sweltering heat or harsh winters, to produce a bumper crop, only to be deprived of rightful prices.

What the farmers here want is a legally binding, guaranteed price. Farmers in France are demanding legislation to guarantee the cost of production plus profit margin and a cover for social costs. In Northern Ireland, tillers are asking for a farm welfare Bill that ensures legislative protection for fair prices for farmers. In other words, the demand for a legal mechanism to guarantee an MSP based on the Swaminathan formula is now finding resonance across the globe. But to be told that paying a guaranteed price to farmers will distort markets is outdated economic thinking that has kept farming impoverished. It is actually aimed at keeping farming perpetually in poverty.

Market distortion is a fear that the corporate world has successfully drilled into public thinking. In the US, economists say that 50 per cent of the raging inflation is because of the higher profits that companies are extracting and passing on to consumers as the retail price. If that has not led to any market distortion, the fear that a guaranteed higher price for farmers will distort markets is unwarranted.

Farmers are an awakened lot, especially in the north-western region, where they are much more alert and aware. Having emerged as a powerful force after the year-long farmers’ stir that forced the withdrawal of the three contentious farm laws, it will not be possible to ignore them anymore. Let’s be clear. We cannot keep farmers confined to villages, hoping they will raise their grievances only at the block level. They are also citizens of this country and should not face barriers in exercising their democratic rights.

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