New Delhi: Farmer leaders have rejected a government offer of amendments in the new farm laws and a “written assurance” on continuing the MSP system, and they vowed to intensify their agitation by blocking key highways linking Delhi and a nationwide protest on December 14. The latest development, however, has given food for thought whether India is bearing the brunt of too much democracy.
In fact, big decisions in a democracy are often taken gauging the mood of people, but we need to understand that the national interests should not be surrendered in such decisions. Rather, the merit of the issue should be given priority while taking any significant decision, and the farmers’ protest should not be an exception to that.
The issue of “too much of democracy” was made by Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant while talking about the difficulty faced by the government to carry out tough reforms in India. He said, “Tough reforms are very difficult in the Indian context, we have too much of democracy…You needed political will to carry out these reforms (mining, coal, labour, agriculture) and many more reforms still need to be done.” Although Kant clarified that he was misquoted, the fact remains that India needs more reforms to make the country competitive in the global environment.
It may be noted that the sixth round of talks between the Centre and the agitating farmer unions slated for Wednesday was cancelled as farmer unions were not satisfied with the government’s proposal. Earlier in the day, a cabinet meeting, however, was held to discuss the proposal sent to the farmers.
Amid these developments, the Opposition parties, which have been supporting the farmers’ agitation and had backed Tuesday’s ‘Bharat bandh’, met President Ram Nath Kovind seeking repeal of the farm laws. The five-member delegation included Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
Rahul Gandhi has termed these three laws as anti-farmer and said “We informed the President that it is critical that they are taken back,” adding “we feel it was an insult to farmers and that is why they are protesting in the cold weather against them.”
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As no agreement has been reached between the government and the farmers, the ruling dispensation needs to decide if it would go ahead with a populist mindset or take tough decisions in the interest of the country. Because, once the government withdraws these agri reform laws, it will have to withdraw all other reforms as well.
There are about 15 crore peasant families in India, out of which only 10 lakh reside in Punjab and they are opposing the new laws the most. If the government bends in front of them, then in the future a particular group of people would take to streets and held hostage the process of reforms by encircling the national capital. This will hamper India’s dream of becoming a 5 trillion dollar economy.
Although the government does not want to do away with the system of APMC and MSP under the new laws, it has just been saying that farmers can now sell their crops outside government mandis as well. A group of Commission Agents (Adhatiyas), however, does not want that as they buy grain from farmers and then sell the same to big wholesalers, who later sell it to small wholesalers, and then the grain reaches the shops near your house.
In this process, agents earn a lot as commission and the government also adds many taxes and Fees. These taxes and fees are a huge source of income for the state governments of Punjab and Haryana. Therefore, it is possible that not only farmers but commission agents are also involved in this movement, and some governments also do not want to stop this movement.
Now, the government can remain adamant on implementing the new laws and do not make major changes in the new laws or it should talk to the farmers and find a path for settlement of the issue, but it has to ensure that these farmers truly represent the interests of all the farmers of the country.
If one or two states are opposed to these new laws, then the government can leave them on their own, as there are few states in the country that do not have an APMC system, and farmers there are growing more crops and getting the right price in comparison to farmers in Punjab.
The government also needs to realise the fact that some leaders and political parties are trying to capitalise on this farmers’ movement to serve their agenda in the name of democratic protest.