Farmers Protest: Roadmap ahead

There is a marked difference between the agitating farmers and the anti-social, ultra-left and pro-khalistani elements piggy backing on these protesting farmers. Understanding this difference is important for all well meaning citizens, politicians, journalists, activists and anyone else who wishes to comment on the issues.

This agitation is not merely a law and order issue and dealing it as such will be a mistake. Secondly this is not focused on the interest of the farmers, this also is not about the three farm laws alone, so any effort for explanation about the benefits of these laws will not cut any ice with the agitation leaders. Thirdly, the two different factions; the Sikhs of Punjab, concentrating on the Singhu border and the other being the Jats mostly from the western Uttar Pradesh, stationed at Ghazipur border are showing signs of strain in their relations. People at Singhu border are averse to any political intervention, but at Ghazipur border, Rakesh Tikait and his gang, show inclinations of political ambitions. How the government looks into these two strains is important in the coming weeks. The plot has thickened, with the global players like Poetic Justice, Sikh for Justice, Justin Trudeau, Greta Thunberg, Miya Khalifa etc. jumping on the bandwagon. It is a political movement against the Narendra Modi government and has to be dealt politically.

The complexity of the situation is that, the farm laws are good for the agriculture sector and will benefit farmers to a very large extent; attracting much needed private investment in this highly capital deficient sector, starving for market based reforms over several decades, but still the leaders of movement want repeal of these laws and will not accept any amendments. The government has already bent backwards, on different occasions, agreeing to more than a dozen amendments, meeting out farmer's concerns on minimum support price (MSP) and offering to suspend these three laws for a period of up to two years, which itself makes them temporarily ineffective.

The government's reluctance to repeal them stems from the conviction about the need for market oriented reforms in the farm sector and increasing the role of private players in the agriculture economy. This stand has been reiterated over two decades by agro economist, Parliament standing Committee on agriculture, empowered committee of the State agriculture ministers and several commissions on farm sector reforms. BJP is ideologically right to centre party, believes in markets economy and the important role of business and industry community in the economic development of the nation. If this moment of reckoning is lost, it will cause irreparable damage to democratic polity of the country. The question that pricks one’s mind is, will India move towards anarchy? “The tyranny of the unelected” or will respect the democratic institutions, like Parliament, Supreme Court and the process of law making as envisaged in the Constitution.

Reform as such are very difficult as the benefits comes with a time lag and are spread thin, whereas adverse impact on certain stakeholders are marked and are immediate. Lot of political capital is to be spent on carrying out reforms and so political class is reluctant to carry them out. As such we have not seen many major reforms after 1991 and even then the reforms were restricted to attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), financial sector and international trade, being carried out under compulsion of imminent sovereign default. The leadership at that time couldn’t muster the courage to undertake major requisite reforms in land, labour and agriculture segments. If this golden moment is lost in petty politics, we may not have any appetite left to undertake mega reforms. Also, there are no more, low hanging fruits available for reforms for the government.   

Whoever may gain or lose out of this agitation, but farmers surely will be at a loss. This demonstration brute force and immaturity of farmers is a cause for worry and is majorly responsible for decades of inaction of the successive governments on agriculture reforms.

We the people of India must know that while there may have been certain shortcoming in the process of enactment of these laws, but they are the law of the land and serve the larger interest of the agriculture segment of the society. It is not in the interest of the country to get these laws repealed.

The responsibility of building right narration rests on all well meaning citizens of the country. It cannot be left to political class alone. Politics will be what it is with all its limitations in a democratic ecosystem. Let us all rise to the occasion. Among other things, the agitators have also been drawing strength from the misplaced sympathy of fellow countrymen. It is our duty to be well informed and support the Government in this path breaking reforms.

Gopal Krishna Agarwal

National Spokesperson of BJP

gopalagarwal@hotmail.com