With the latest round of talks on Friday ending in a stalemate without having any further date fixed for the next round of meeting, this prolonged stand-off is likely not to have happy ending. The Farmers Unions remained adamant on the complete reversal of the farm laws and for bring a new legislation on the assured Minimum Support Price (MSP) system. Further, the farmer-leaders have also expressed doubts over the fairness of the Supreme Court-appointed expert panel that would have diffused the situation by mediation between the Farmers and the Government.
The rigid posture adopted by the farmers union accepting nothing less than the repeal of much needed farm laws to introduce the reforms in agriculture sector and their insistence on bringing the MSP under statutory cover suggests their motive more political and different from the genuine farmers’ welfare. As of now, the MSP mechanism is a matter of administrative policy which no government could afford to ignore even in years to come keeping in view the electoral strength of farming community in India.
The sequence of events in this long-drawn agitation raises serious doubts on the credential of protesting mass whether they are genuine and poor farmers or a creamy layer among the broad farming community. A majority of those camping at the interstate borders are big and upper-middle class landlords from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh who are part and parcel of the strong Arhatiya (commission agents) lobby, a community that drives the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee’s (APMC’s) mandis. These farmers constitute a sizeable chunk of the vote bank of various political parties who cannot afford to go against the populist stance taken by the community. Only the APMC-licensed traders are allowed to purchase produce from farmers within that particular APMC’s jurisdiction. This helps the cartel of traders and prevents the hardworking farmers from receiving a fair price for their produce. This is why, perhaps, the hectic parleys and several rounds of dialogue have yielded no result and the farmer leaders have even turned down the Centre’s offer to put the new laws on hold. On the other hand, the apex court has made it clear that the panel, tasked to submit its report after noting the farmers’ reservations, would proceed with or without their participation.
While the farmers’ concern has to be addressed and cannot just be brushed aside, the Union Government’s haste in passing the three farm laws also put the centre in dock. After the farmers intensified the protest, the government woke up for undertaking damage control exercises by putting all its resources for creating positive awareness about the new laws.
The lack of consultation with stakeholders and the Bills’ passage in Parliament without thorough discussion and debate over these laws ought to raise a reasonable doubt over the Centre’s intention. Further, these laws were first introduced in June 2020 as Ordinances before being approved by Parliament in September by a voice vote. The farmers allege that the Centre has made the laws for benefiting big corporate houses and is not concerned about the welfare of the peasants. It cannot be denied that by promoting private investment in the sector and allowing outside-APMC trade of farm produce, the Government will subsequently buy less from farmers, and it will eventually make the MSP system irrelevant. Further, there is no denying that India’s MSP system is the costliest Government food procurement programme in the world. It’s high time the Government and the farmers think about the pertinent issues impacting the agriculture sector.
The chemical fertiliser-centric farming has led to enormous health and environmental issues, besides degrading the soil’s fertility. These harmful effects have become embedded into our food chain. Further, the introduction of hybrid and transgenic varieties of seeds and crops, just for the sake of increasing productivity and meeting the market demand, is a potent threat to indigenous varieties. These local varieties are naturally resistant to many diseases and pests, and are part of our rich genetic stock. Apart from focusing on eco-friendly agriculture, the Government must devise an effective policy to help the poor peasants who are in distress and who are always at the receiving end, no matter what.
