Open House: Are farmers right in continuing with their protest?

Farmers should now welcome PM’S gesture

The PM chose an auspicious occasion of Gurpurab to announce the withdrawal of three contentious farm laws against which the farmers had been agitating for the past more than a year. At present, there is no question of winning or losing any battle, nor any margin for playing politics over the issue. The farmers should welcome PM's gesture by reciprocating it with conditional withdrawal of agitation without further delay. The government must engage all stake holders to reach the consensus on all agricultural reforms before proceeding with any legislation. It needs to be understood that without making agriculture a profitable activity, no sustainable economic progress of any country is possible. To proceed further in this direction, legal sanctity to MSP of all agricultural produce is a major requirement. This further needs to be strongly linked with adequate marketing infrastructure to be supported by active government intervention to ensure that no produce is sold below MSP under any circumstances. Revolutionary steps are required to make agriculture a financially viable proposition and ecologically sustainable one with short term and long term strategic support from the government agencies. In this direction, farmers cooperatives need to be encouraged for promoting agro-based industry in specified areas and for optimum utilisation of the latest farm technology to carry over large-scale crop diversification and their commercialisation

Jagdish Chander

Hard to rely on government now

It's doubtful that the PM is honest about what he said regarding the repeal of three farm laws. What about bringing back all black money from foreign countries, particularly Swiss Banks. This is just one jumla. When he was the CM of Gujarat, he clearly talked about guarantee of MSP on wheat and paddy to the farmers. But when he became the PM, he just backtracked and repealed the MSP on these crops, much to the chagrin of farmers. He is totally an acolyte of Ambani and Adani, both Gujaratis. The farmers are absolutely right in continuing their protest about giving legal garb to the MSP and also other points. Why the minister of state, Ajay Mishra has not been sacked? His son crushed the peacefully agitating farmers under his vehicle. The police and the UP government tried to save him. Had it not been for the intervention of the Supreme Court, he would not have been arrested. When the three farm laws were implemented as ordinances, why not repeal them as ordinances and then getting passed in parliament. His decisions can't be relied upon. Farmers should not end their agitation till all their demands are met and they have got the repealing of laws signed by the President of India in their hands.

Dr JS Wadhwa

Faremrs are fully justified in protesting

The Modi government’s announcement to repeal three contentious farm laws against which farmers have been peacefully protesting on the Delhi borders for the last one year is a welcome. Whether dictated by political compulsions ahead of the Assembly elections in UP and Punjab or public pressure, it has been seen as a triumph of democracy. It has not only allayed farmers' fears about corporatisation of agriculture but also marked a certain shift in the current dispensation's arrogant, egoistical and inflexible attitude. The farmers' unions have, however, refused to end their agitation and decided to stay put rather than vacate the protest sights till these laws are finally withdrawn through a proper parliamentary procedure and their other major demands, including statutory guarantee of MSP for all major agriculture produce, repeal of the amendments proposed to the electricity law, dismissal of MoS Ajay Mishra Teni for the Lakhimpur Kheri incidents and giving adequate compensation to the bereaved families of the victims, are met. Amid voices that these demands are totally unreasonable, farmers are fully justified in not compromising with their stand. It will be in the fitness of things that the Centre accepts these demands at the earliest. It has been seen that the government has not done anything meaningful for the welfare of the farming community despite launching various schemes and programmes. The government should formulate policies in consultation with the farmers' organisations and implement the Swaminathan Report to actually double farmers' income.

DS Kang

Govt must accept healthy criticism

It is appreciable that the PM has announced to take back the three black agri laws. The undemocratic manner in which these laws were pushed through ignited peaceful protests by farmers' unions. The government maintains that these laws were passed to re-organise the agricultural sector in accordance with the principles of market economy but farmers were apprehensive about losing their lands to the corporate sector eventually. Due to the prevailing lack of trust and faith in the functioning of the government, farmers have rightly reiterated their stand to continue their one year-old tenacious agitation. What they want is that these laws should be formally withdrawn by following a proper parliamentary process. They have also been pressing the government to fulfil their other demands such as legal protection of MSP, not only on wheat and paddy but also on other major crops. If the Modi regime is really serious about ameliorating the plight of the toiling but distressed farmers by doubling their farm income, it should bring laws concerning farmers by taking them into confidence. Encouraging the farming community for diversification of crops, providing them quality seeds, fertilizers insecticides and pesticides, and ensuring that the market is not rigged should be the initial steps. It will make agriculture a viable profession and address the problems of fast depleting groundwater and environmental pollution. After the success of this sustained social movement that has the potential to impact the political landscape in Punjab and UP, the BJP should revisit its mindset about protest mobilisation and accept healthy criticism of its policies and programmes in future.

Simran Kang

Public faith in govt policies has eroded

Our PM has announced the withdrawal of three laws but still all farmer unions have refused to end their agitation. Their justification about not ending the protest is that the government is not coming forward for talks. On one hand, farmers are rejoicing over their victory, on the other, the protest is still going on. Why are they distributing sweets and feeling happy over their victory, if they don't consider it a victory? For the time being, government should give a fair chance and end their agitation. The farmers wanted the laws to be repealed and the demand has been granted by the government. There is a major set-back in politics and policy. PM surrendered and rollback the three laws. It can be a political gimmick, the decision made ahead of UP and Punjab elections. The farmers refuse to vacate and continue with their protest is not justified. Trust in the government has been eroded.

Shashi Kiran

Not wise to cease protest now

Farmers have striven long and hard against the three contentious farm laws. The protests at Singhu and Tikri border, the Lakhimpur Kheri violence will forever remain etched in their memories. It took several months and a lot of sacrifice to elicit a promise of repeal of the farm laws from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 19. Now, that the Cabinet has cleared the bill to repeal these three farm laws and the approval of the Parliament is yet awaited, it would not be wise to cease the protest prior to the fulfillment of their demands. Time has already proven the propensity of political promises to turn volatile if not pursued till their consummation. It’s the same with the farmers’ demands including the legal protection of MSP. Farmers should continue with their protests till all their demands are met.

Shaheen P Parshad

Farmers may lose credibility if stir is on

Now, that the farmers have proved the power of protest, as Centre has agreed to repeal the three farm laws, this should be taken as their victory. Though BJP may have bought peace with the farmers by accepting their demand, farm union leaders should reciprocate by being responsible citizens and ending their agitation. But if farm unions’ leaders continue their protests on one after another or more demands they will not only lose their credibility but also the sympathy of the people who have stood with them all through their yearlong agitation and protests. Among farm unions’ demands, the most unreasonable, if not outrageous, is the one for the repeal of the amendments proposed to the electricity law, as farmers are bent upon preserving a status quo mainly defined by free or cheap power. Now the SKM, the joint platform of farm unions, is being quite unreasonable and asking for changes that can make India a basket case. And if we look closely at farm unions’ demand for minimum support price (MSP), it also needs a thorough debate on its being reasonable or not. MSP effectively works for paddy and wheat crops, as they form the foundation of government’s food security regime. But if farm unions continue to demand guaranteed minimum support prices for all their other crops and their entire procurement by the government, this will be clearly a non-starter. These demand’s fulfillment, should not be their condition before they withdraw their agitation. So, there is dire need to reform MSP and move India’s agrarian economy to a system where farmers respond to price signals in making their choice of crops, but SKM’s approach is in contrast to this. The government may be having the right intent in its agricultural reform package, but now that it has stepped back, there should be a redline on the clutches of some demands. And for the government, it is utmost necessary to build consensus for reforms but equally important is to stand firm in the face of unreasonableness, if any.

PL Singh

Farmers’ concerns are justified

India is a democratic country but what’s happening since last year makes this statement hard to understand. It’s been one year that farmers have been protesting against three contentious farm laws at Singhu and Tikri Borders. After seeing their persistence towards making farm laws to be repealed, PM had to withdraw these laws few days back. Still farm unions don’t want to culminate their protest. Their concerns are justified as the protest they hold was not easy throughout the year, more than 700 farmers lost their lives.

Sukhmeet Kaur

Pass repealing law in Parliament

The announcement by the PM regarding withdrawal of three farm laws is welcome, but how the aggrieved parties take this news is at their discretion. It can be considered an election gimmick of the ruling party. Secondly, this announcement made especially on Guru Nanak’s birthday seems more than anything, an act of exploiting religious sentiments of farmers because most of those leading the agitation are either Sikhs or are from Punjab.

The announcement supported by legal and constitutional component can create faith among the aggrieved parties. Not only the farmers but all the stakeholders: the farmers, corporates and consumers should be taken into consideration. Till the farm laws are constitutionally repealed and farmers’ other demands are addressed, they have a right to fight.

Madhu Sharma

Repeal and restart in right earnest

Farmers and the whole country, including industry, railways, roadways and business in general, heaved a sigh of relief when the Prime Minister announced on Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary that his government had decided to repeal the contentious agricultural laws. Most probably, the laws will be formally repealed, but the most unfortunate part of it all is the trust deficit between the farmers’ leadership and the Prime Minister of the country. Not that the farmers don’t want to make agriculture a powerhouse of economic growth. Their protest is against the laws because the proposed reforms are guaranteed to fail as they failed to improve the farmers’ lot wherever in the world they were introduced, whether in USA, Chile, Philippine, or elsewhere. The small farmers there were simply swallowed by capitalists. Moreover, the Prime Minister, though seemingly sincere in his announcement, was noticeably quiet on the issue of the legal guarantee of a minimum support price for all their crops, and their other pending demands. In fact, the farmers’ joy and jubilation is over having achieved a status quo, the situation that prevailed before these so called black laws were hurriedly passed without any discussion at any level. Everyone has welcomed Modi’s climb down, even though it was a tenaciously delayed decision that cost the country 700 or so precious lives, but the political exigencies that propelled him to break his year long silence are also too transparent. The forthcoming Assembly Elections in UP, Punjab and some other states are crucial for BJP and farmers and their supporters constitute a huge vote bank. On the other hand, farmers’ Mahapanchayat at Lucknow, last week, reiterated their resolve to continue their protest over pending demands. Whatever, after the laws are repealed, after legal guarantee of MSP is made public,( if that is ) governments at the state level as well as at the union level, must start working on how to make agriculture a truly profitable and environmentally sustainable profession. Right now, it is an impoverished occupation having a great potential for jobs

MOHAN SINGH

QUESTION

Despite the government reducing the sand price, the real problem of mining sand remains in the state. Various villagers continue to complain against riverbeds being ravaged. Are such populist declarations made by the government enough to address this age-old menace without putting the mafia responsible for these illegal activities behind the bars?

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by Thursday (December 2)

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