New Wave Of Farmers’ Protests To Have Grave Implications

By Dr. Gyan Pathak

The new wave of farmers’ protests in India have now prompted the Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar to rebuke the Centre led by PM Narendra Modi cautioning him against taking it lightly, saying that a nation that tested the patience of farmers paid a heavy price.

What are the prices to be paid by the country? Dhankhar has given ample hints publicly on stage at an Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) event in Mumbai which included social unrest, loss of credibility of the government that did not fulfil its own promises, threat to the unity of the people of India among others, and finally a disaster.

The Vice-President of India rebuking its own government is a rare thing that happened after a series of farmers’ protest spreading from Punjab to Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. These states are known for de-facto food basket of the country feeding the millions of people through public distribution system. Escalation of the farmers’ protest thus will severely affect the food security of the country.

The latest phase of farmers’ protests has begun with a group of farmers from Punjab, led by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KKM), who have called for a march towards Delhi on December 6, 2024. The protesting farmers have already been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, demanding chiefly a legal guarantee of MSP for all their crops among others.

The call of protest prompted farmers of Uttar Pradesh to gather and move towards Delhi on December 2. It caused massive traffic disruption on Delhi-Noida border, as police had set up multiple barricades and deployed heavy security. Farmers gathered from Uttar Pradesh were chiefly demanding for land allocation and increased compensation for their lands acquired by the government, among others. The protest call was given by the Bharatiya Kisan Parishad (BKP), and farmers from 20 district of Uttar Pradesh were taking part in the march.

Now recall the Farmers’ movement that started with passage of the three controversial farm laws in August 2020. Joint Farmer’s organization SKM led the movement from Punjab to Delhi which was to reach the national capital on November 26, but were stopped at the borders. About 750 farmers had lost their lives, and large number of cases were registered against them before PM Narendra Modi unilaterally withdrew the three laws in November 2021. Farmers alleged that the laws were intended to bring Corporate to the farms, in which farmers fear to lose their lands. The Centre had promised the farmers to address their grievances on which the first phase of farmers’ movement called off in December 2021, but the promises were never fulfilled.

Farmers have been agitating because they felt being cheated by the Narendra Modi led government at the Centre. They campaigned against the Modi government across the country even during elections. Parallel to these the second phase of the movement started in February, 2024 by other groups of farmers organization. Their Delhi march was not allowed to enter Haryana. The kept protesting at Punjab-Haryana border. Five farmers have died so far during the protests. The present Delhi March is only its extension.

The Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar sought to known on stage in Mumbai event from the Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan why the Centre was not holding a dialogue with the protesting farmers. Addressing Chouhan, he said, “every moment is critical for you. I urge you, and as the person holding the second-highest constitutional position in India, I request you to please tell me, was any promise made to the farmer, and why has it not been fulfilled? What are we doing to fulfil the promise? There was an agitation last year, and there is one this year as well, and time is passing, but we are doing nothing.”

It was a direct indictment of the PM Narendra Modi led Centre, which was an indirect reminder that the government would lose its credibility. He said to Chouhan, “You are the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. I am reminded of Sardar Patel, and his responsibility to unify the nation. This challenge is before you and it should not be considered any less than the unity of India.” It was a clear reminder of the threat to the unity of India, in business-as-usual scenario.

The Vice-President even recalled Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dhallewal, who is on a fast-unto-death demanding legal guarantee for MSP, and other ongoing farmers’ agitation cautioning the Centre that the government couldn’t fight with own people or put them in a situation where they were left to fight on their own. There are many things between the lines which included a social unrest.

“We cannot hold the ideology that their struggle will be limited and they will eventually tire out. We should not disturb the soul of India, we should not hurt its heart. Can we create a boundary between the farmer and the government? Those whom we need to embrace cannot be pushed away,” Dhankhar warned.

The Vice-President’s comment on MSP demand also exposes the Modi government. He said, “Our mindset should be positive; we should not create obstacles by thinking that giving the farmer this price will have negative consequences. Whatever price we give to the farmer, the nation will benefit five times over… Those who say that giving our farmers a fair price for their produce would cause a disaster, I do not understand why.”

In addition to warning of a disaster, the Vice-President also indicated on broader impact of the farmer’s movement and said it was a very narrow assessment that the farmers’ movement was limited to those on streets. “No, the son of a farmer is now an officer, the son of a farmer is now a government employee,” he said, reminding ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ call given by former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. Indication is that farmers struggle may impact all including the government and the security forces.

“This is a serious issue, and to take it lightly means that we are not being practical, and our policy-making is not on the right track”, the Vice-President Dhankhar has asserted.

Delhi March on December 6, 2024 from Punjab, is surely going to be crucial event given the massive farmers’ protests in various parts of the country. Protesting farmers had earlier attempted to march towards Delhi on February 13 and February 21, but were stopped by Haryana police. There are heavy police deployment this time too. (IPA Service)