Given the poor appetite of Indian leadership for reforms, my first reaction to farm law repeal was “Sheer insanity”. The decision has elicited responses ranging from disappointment, anger to concern. Being a nation state India has been a ground for various vested interests and their agendas. For decades, development has been held hostage by political parties for their narrow electoral gains. The sudden announcement of withdrawal of the farm laws that can usher country into second green revolution on Guru Purub by Prime Minister Modi, has expectedly raised many hackles.
With a potential to
revolutionise agricultural sector which employs over 45% of the population and
benefit small and marginal farmers who constitute 95% of the farming community,
enactment of farm laws was deemed as the 1991 moment for Indian agriculture. Considered
as panacea for all the ails afflicting Indian agriculture, even the Congress party
included the new farm laws in its manifesto.
Regarded as a game changer,
the farm laws if implemented will boost agri-GDP and further much-needed crop
diversification. Till now, guaranteed MSP resulted in highly skewed cultivation
of Rice and Sugarcane which besides depleting the water table are contributing
to increase in methane and nitrous oxide levels. Further the ever-bloating
granaries of FCI, huge farm subsidies extended to farmers are sucking up the
tax revenues which could have been used for development. Legislated farm laws
besides addressing these issues could have been a huge boost for the revival of
covid hit Indian economy. Now the annulment of farm laws has pushed the
agriculture sector into doldrums.
The arhtiyas or the middle men
who stand to lose economically from these new laws has stiffly opposed the new
reforms. For the fear of antagonizing this influential community for eons
political parties wavered from introducing new agri reforms in agriculture.
Modi bite the bullet.
Sensing an opportunity in
farmer’s opposition, threw weight behind the farmers who started protesting the
farm laws. Those who objected to the new changes included the farmers from
Punjab, Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. To allay fear and address grievances
Modi government held 11 rounds of talks with farmers. But the talks to failed
to break the impasse and the farmers intensified protests in the NCT region. Condemning
the government for failing to communicate and take the stakeholders along, the
Supreme Court expressed disappointment over government’s handling of farmers
protests and suspended the implementation of the legislation.
Overruling the executive which
is the heart of a functional democracy, SC stayed laws on Jan 12th. Accordingly, Centre decided to put farm laws
on hold for 18 months. SC indeed constituted an expert committee to study the
farm laws and consult the farmers organisations. The committee submitted the
report on Mar 19th. But till now the report isn’t made public.
Though the laws were
suspended, digging in heels, the farmers organization continued to protest. A
year of protests unraveled their true agenda. Under the banner of peaceful
protests, the farmers enacted a Capitol Riots incident in India. Thronging the
Red Fort on the Republic Day, the unruly mobs sporting Bhindranwale shirts and
carrying traditional weapons erected Nishan Sahib flag on the staff used by Prime
Minister to unfurl the tricolour on Independence Day. Giving the episode of
anarchy a veneer of “ruthless regime crushing the agitating farmers”,
the World media and the Indian ecosystem hushed the shameful act of the
anti-national elements.
The succession of events that
followed, exposed the vested interests that have been hand and glove with the
agitation. At a time when the country is
non-plussed at the abject retreat and surrender of the Prime Minister, it is
incumbent to shake off the collective amnesia and recount the one year of
farmers protests that has been a den of vested interests of various hues.
Justifying the violence
unleashed by protesting farmers, the ecosystem which termed the Capitol Riots a
threat to democracy jumped in to vociferously defend the indefensible. Soon,
the international media offered cover to the slanderous attack of the
protestors on Indian flag and their attempt to vilify national pride.
Shortly, singer Rihanna, Greta
Thunberg and niece of Vice President Kamala Harris tweeted in support of
farmers. Meanwhile, an inadvertent leak of infamous ‘international tool kit’ by
the juvenile environmentalist has completely exposed the agenda of global
vested interests in farmers protests. Hence it should be unsurprising when
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, Canadian Labour and Civil societies openly
expressed solidarity with protesting farmers.
A publication claimed that the
second covid wave in India originated from farmers protest in Punjab. Defying
the Covid appropriate behaviour and violating the epidemic act, protestors
engaged in agitation. Interestingly, the courts which micromanaged the Covid
situation and pulled up government for slack oxygen supply remained a mute
spectator to a plausible covid timebomb ticking in the capital. Other than
expressing concern, the courts remained meek spectators.
Protests in the NCT region
paralysed the normal life and badly affected commercial activities. Though numerous
petitions were filed to remove the protests, deprived of urgent hearing the
national exchequer entailed severe losses. Delinquent approach of the law and
order agencies ensured that the right to protest reigned even as other rights
are hindered. The stunning silence of civil societies, the ecosystem,
opposition parties had tacitly hinted of an uncanny nexus.
The farmers protests had its
genesis in Punjab, a border state with Pakistan and ground for Sikh separatism
and Sikh-Hindu discord. Indeed, a separate Sikh state has been a communist
agenda too. With a history of unrest and secessionist activities, the state
underwent an emotional churn. To avenge the 1971 humiliating defeat, Pakistan’s
ISI stoked the secessionist Khalistani movement in Punjab and to win back the
state politically, Indira Gandhi has propped up Bhindranwale, who ignited the
Sikh fervour. This potent concoction pushed the state into chaos and turned
into a terrorist hub. The separatists were weeded out and terrorism was
extricated from Punjab with super heroic efforts.
Over the years, Sikhs became
very conscious of their symbolism of resisting anything which they deem to be oppressive.
Conceiving the farms laws to be inimical to their interests Sikhs began to
oppose them tooth and nail. This resistance partially stemmed from a conception
that Modi is an authoritarian leader. In the meanwhile, the anti-Hindu forces,
Break India forces, left wing radicals used this occasion to carry out
insidious propaganda that deepened alienation and disaffection.
Pakistan’s deep state sought
to weaponize the resentment of farmers through Khalistanis to create unrest in
India. Pregnant with disaffection towards the Indian dispensation over the farm
laws, the farmers movement changed it trajectories. Gradually the initial
peaceful rail and road blockades and sit-in-dharnas graduated to violent
attacks on toll gates.
Aflush with funds from Khalistanis
in North America, the movement infiltrated with politicians, activists and
separatists, aspired to keep the agitation simmering. Reports of rapes and
recovery of a body of a farm labour with his left arm hacked, tied to a
barricade at the protest site, lynching at Lakhimpur Kheri have been the
manifestations of the new agenda. Even the goal posts of the protests changed
from total repeal of laws to political fight against Modi government.
Investigations of cash trial
to person who hoisted Nishan Sahib flag could be traced to secessionist groups.
The video of Gurupatwant Singh Pannu of SFJ linking the farmers
protests to 1984 have confirmed the worst fears of Khalistani links to the
farmers protests.
India dispatched a three
member NIA team to Canada to investigate the links, similarly it condemned the
UK government of allowing the Khalistan referendum on Oct 31st and
radicalization of Sikh Diaspora. Since the farmers agitation Sikh radicals in
UK started holding protests condemning farm laws and participating in
anti-India protests at the behest of Pakistan’s ISI. Having received a shot in
arm with the fall of Kabul to Taliban, Pakistan is slowly intensifying its
anti-India activities through the Sikh radicals.
The Pakistan-Taliban nexus now
has covert support of China which refuses to disengage with Indian troops at
LAC. NSA Ajit Doval’s references to civil societies, which condoned the anarchy
of farmers protests under the banner of peaceful agitation, is a clear signal
that the protestors in cahoots with anti-India forces are on a mission mode to
create unrest and chaos in India all in the name of registering their
opposition to farm laws.
With elections around the
corner, analysts widely alleged that BJP’s penchant to win the polls as the
main reason for this sudden withdrawal. In reality, the Sino-Pakistan nexus is
hell bent on capitalizing the domestic political fissures is egging on
anti-Modi elements to destabilise India. Punjab being a border state with a
Sikh majority is vital for the security of the country. In lieu of internal and
external stability, in 2018, Union cabinet approved the development of
Kartarpur Corridor at a meeting to commemorate the 550th birth
anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji. The
following year Kartarpur corridor was officially opened for Indian delegation
on Guru Purub. Two years hence, when Modi declared the withdrawal on the most
auspicious occasion for Sikhs, the move was seen as an attempt to placate the
Sikhs who strongly opposed the agricultural reforms
Modi government hasn’t been
averse to risks. Months ahead of 2017 UP elections, cognizant of electoral fall
out, Modi announced demonetization. Scrapping of farm laws will deny the
opposition parties a vital electoral agenda in the upcoming Punjab polls. But
this move is unlikely to brighten BJP’s poll prospects especially in Punjab.
The impact of the decision on UP elections could be an interesting watch.
Announcing the withdrawal of
farm laws, Modi tendered an apology to farmers. The words, “kisano keliye kiya
tha desh ke liye wapis le raha hoon” has rightly summed up the import of the
decision. While the decision is a great set back to the reform process, Modi’s attempt
to win back embittered Sikhs would go a long way in building bridges of trust.
It has been an endeavour to attenuate the bitterness and alienation, which has
pushed Sikhs into Pakistan’s embrace during 1970s and 1980s.
On the flip side, this
surrender is a huge win for anarchists. Invoking the farmers protest template anarchists
will extract their pound of flesh to derail reforms and development projects. Mainstreaming
of protest culture can pose a danger to the well-structured functioning
democracy. Modi’s capitulation can dent his credibility as a reformist
committed to economic revival and development.
Certainly, this has been a
tough call.
Is one step backward worth it?
Only time can tell…
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