Farmers Movement Archive

If farmers’ rights not protected, there will be no sustainable development’

Even as the farmers gather in Delhi, with no clear solution on sight, the support for them grow strong and steady too. Mehak Jain speaks to some of the supporters... “We all are post graduate and some of us are even doctorates, so how can the government say we cannot understand these laws? We reached Singhu border on November 27, and we are here against the farm laws. As there is no assurance on MSP, state APMC's will be dismantled, which in turn will affect rural development. Secondly, there is no provision in the bill that in case of dispute between parties in the contract, either of the aggrieved party can take due course of law to settle the dispute. Farmers have been denied their basic right of approaching the judicial courts.” Gurjot Malhi | Student, PAU Being a student of agriculture and a farmer, I can say these laws are not for the welfare of farmers, but for corporates. Essential commodities act allows corporates to store enough to influence the prices and they would keep the level just below the threshold limit that it appears that prices are not being violated against the laws. Other laws allows free trade to other states that is not feasible for small and marginal farmers. Third law is for contract farming and farmer cannot fight for their rights with big corporates. I went to Delhi to support and farmers are protesting peacefully. We need to be aware these are not just anti farmer, but will affect the whole society. Navdeep Singh | Student, PAU The three farm laws that have been passed unconstituionally have triggered a rift between farmers and the Modi government. After going through the farm laws, I can conclude that empowering farmers through them seems more ostensible. I see them as an attempt to dilute the very nature of the previous safeguards provided to the farmers, be it MSP or other infrastructure. There are some certain economic logics being provided to farmers to justify the laws, but what ruins the actual position of the government is the previously implemented government schemes that were started for the help of farmers but have proved already as goldmines for the private companies. This has made farmers community distrustful of government. I urge the government to immediately repeal these laws not just because these are anti farmers, but the way these are put forward into the legislature by the government was absolutely undemocratic. This will ruin India's position in the global ranking of democracy index .” Bikrampal Singh | Farmer Human rights are at the heart of the sustainable development goals ( SDGs). In the absence of human dignity, we cannot hope to bring about sustainable development. We all must stand up for human rights. The whole of Punjab stands up for farmers rights as their demands are genuine and democratic in nature, which must be addressed to maintain dignity and honour of farmers who feed the whole country. If rights of the farmers are not protected, then it is hard to dream about sustainable development. Rather than protecting the interests of corporates, the interests of hardworking Indian farmers should be protected. Farm struggle has created history and this struggle is based on the democratic rights of the farmers. Education, peace and development could flourish only with the preservation, protection and the propagation of human rights. Davinder Singh Chhina | President, Khalsa College Amritsar Global Alumni Association

The Times of India

2020-12-17

Chandigarh