Move to trigger 'qualitative change' in socio-political discourse

Strap: Alters poll dynamics, leaders to focus on real issues concerning common man now

BQ

Consult stakeholders while framing laws

The farmers’ protest proves that the government should take legislative business seriously and enact laws after consultations with stakeholders. Otherwise, it will lead to tragedies. Another lesson to be learnt is that issues concerning people’s livelihood can’t be resolved legally, but with political will alone

Dr Parmod Kumar, sociologist

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 19

The promise to repeal the three farm laws by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today has brought a big relief for farmers in Punjab. This also brings down curtains on their yearlong struggle.

Farmer unions, who had been at the forefront of organising one of the biggest struggles, say that this is a big win for them as the government had been forced to accede to their demands. “A united struggle by all unions led to this win, where the Delhi Durbar had to repeal the black farm laws,” Dr Darshan Pal, a prominent leader of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, told The Tribune.

Rajinder Singh Deepsinghwala, vice-president, Kirti Kisan Union, said though the human cost of the struggle was too high, it was still a victory for the struggling farmers, who had been forced to leave their fields and protest on roads, but they were still seeking an assurance on Minimum Support Price (MSP) of crops. “This became a people’s movement and is a victory of their resistance against corporatisation of agriculture, which would have affected food prices and thus each person,” he said.

Farmers are relieved as the “economic threat” perceived by them through the three laws is over. Gurbakshish Singh, a farmer from Bimbar village near Nabha, said farmers were happy at the decision. “It will ensure economic stability for us,” he said.

Eminent economist RS Ghuman said: “Der aaye durust aaye (even if the announcement has come late, it is good). The gravity of agrarian crisis will be halted and could reduce if the MSP is also made legal right of farmers.”

This sudden announcement to repeal the laws also has much wider socio-political repercussions in the poll-bound state of Punjab. It suddenly changes the entire poll dynamics, where earlier it appeared that the polls would be fought in the background of farmers’ protest. It is now clear that real issues concerning the common man will come to the forefront and answers on each party’s performance will be sought.

Dr Parmod Kumar, eminent sociologist and expert on Punjab affairs, said the development would lead to qualitative change in the socio-political discourse. “This is perhaps the first and longest movement against economic reforms agenda, initiated in 1994. The message is loud and clear that it’s a victory against corporatisation of agriculture, particularly the availability of food, as these laws were anti-poor and would have compromised food security and livelihood of farmers.”

He said: “Another message is that the government should take legislative business seriously and enact laws after consultations with stakeholders. Otherwise, it will lead to tragedies. Another lesson is that issues concerning people’s livelihood can’t be resolved legally, but with political will alone.”