The farmers' protest against the farm laws is now a month-long as it has entered the 29th day on Thursday (December 24, 2020) as several round of talks between the union govt and the farmers union leaders haven't yielded any result. On the contrary , Modi govt has strategically countering farmers' protest with aligning farmers supporting the three contentious laws.
Some farmer bodies from Haryana, claiming to represent 1.2 lakh farmers, have come out in support of the three laws. A delegation of about 20 farmers, representatives of three different groups, met Union Agriculture Minister on on the eve of the Bharat Bandh, and expressed their support for the laws. Apparently, they were all state sponsored as BJP is ruling the state.
It became clear as Dushyant Chautala, deputy Chief Minister and leader of BJP alliance partner in Haryans later said that new farm laws needed 'many amendments'. He also reiterated that he will resign the day he feels he is unable to ensure minimum support price (MSP) for farmers in the state.
It is quite interesting that despite unruly incidents, the farmers have been given permission by the Union govt to enter the Delhi and protest at a place called Burari, which is just 20 km from the Parliament.
Another interesting aspect of the protest is that it is largely being carried out by the farmers of Punjab though several other farmer organisations from states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are also participating in this agitation. It is for these reasons that ruling party is suspecting that Congress and left parties are behind the farmers' protest.
As such, BJP also activated its farmers' bodies. A group of farmers belonging to states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana under the banner of the All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC), expressed their support to the new farm laws after meeting Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar last week.
Punjab is the state which is likely to be effected most by the new farm laws. About 13 per cent of the total revenue earned by the Punjab government comes from agri mandis. The revenue earned by the states in the form of market fees will drop drastically.
There is no denying that several attempts were made to hijack the farmers' agitation by the political parties.
Though protesting farmers have kept a distance from all political parties and haven't allowed political parties to use their platform, but there were some stray unsavory incidents. It was evident after a protestor in Punjab threatened Prime Minister Narendra Modi with consequences similar to that of Indira Gandhi. Some people were also seen holding posters of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a Khalistan terrorist during protest.
The aggressive nature of protest also suggests that it has been hijacked by political parties. Taking out advertisements in newspapers, trending hashtags and aggressive protests certainly can not be done by farmers on their own. Surprisingly terror outfit like the Khalistan is believed to have joined the agitation.
Despite the farmers' claim that they will carry out their agitation for the next 6 months. yet farmers from other parts of the country do not seem interested in the protest. As such, govt may not yield to the pressure easily. As 25 percent of the country's grains (rice and wheat) are produced by Haryana and Punjab. Farmers in other parts of the country have diversified their farming as per the demand in the local market.
It may seem puzzling as to why farmers are protesting against legislation and policies that allow them more ‘choice’? Until now farmers were obliged to sell their produce, with some specific exceptions, in the Agriculture Produce Marketing Control (APMC) mandis in most states . With the enactment of the three farm reform laws, farmers can now choose to sell to whoever they want. The entry of the private sector through contract farming will further allow them to make lucrative deals if they so choose.
But its not as simple. The abolition of APMC-run mandis in 2004 in Bihar saw chaotic conditions in agricultural markets, In many parts of the state, erstwhile physical spaces occupied by mandis were encroached and taken over by unscrupulous elements.
Moreover, the co-existence of private players with mandis could yield little. Between 2014 and 2017, a majority of states, under this very central government’s persuasion ( not legal fiat) removed fresh produce from the mandi system’s monopoly. No significant private sector investment in setting up alternate marketing mechanisms followed. Farmers continue to bring the bulk of fresh produce to mandis for sale even today.
Private markets have co-existed with mandis in Maharashtra for over a decade, without the expected gains. Even better thought through initiatives to enlist private investment in agri-marketing, such as the ITC e-chaupal, which permitted large processors to buy directly at their plants in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, and the computerisation of mandis in partnership with a private sector player to bring significant process efficiencies in Karnataka, have not borne a rich harvest.
The farmers’ fear that the government may retract the minimum support price (MSP), is strengthened by the provisions for contract farming in the farm reform laws. Farmers suspect corporates are unwilling to share risks while seeking higher returns for themselves. Punjab farmers have faced this situation. New reform laws provide no safeguard for regulating corporate players. Further, even if provisions regarding are made, there is no guarantee that laws will be enforced strictly. India has a poor record of enforcing laws where powerful interests are involved.
Our past experience clearly demonstrates that privatisation cannot substitute inadequate public institutions. If the government is really serious about creating alternative marketing avenues through private sector players, it is more important to upgrade the mandi infrastructure to give farmers a genuine option of multiple competing platforms. The social and economic capital invested in mandis over the past six decades should not be wasted, but strengthened.
And lastly, let our vote-hungry netas come forwrad to share the meal of protest with farmers under open sky. (Inputs From Net)
(Chander Sharma )
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