Farmers Movement Archive

Kisan Diwas 2021: Celebrating the birthday of Chaudhary Charan Singh

December 23 every year is celebrated as 'Kisan Diwas' in India to mark the birth anniversary of fifth prime minister of India, Chaudhary Charan Singh. This year, the day comes after farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, ended their year-long protest following the rollback of three central laws by the government.India has been celebrating Singh's birthday as National Farmers Day since 2001."The birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh ji is celebrated as 'Farmer's Day' all over India. Hearty congratulations to all the farmers. Congratulations to the farmers who have created crops in the field and happiness in the country with their hard work. PM Shri @narendramodi's government is fully dedicated for the welfare of farmers," Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Twitter on the occasion.The farmers have, however, vowed to continue their agitation, with farmer leader Rakesh Tikait promising to take up issues related to farmers with the Centre.Significance of Kisan DiwasThe day celebrates the farmers and their work in the country. It marks the contribution of the former prime minister to the agricultural reforms of India.Singh was given the sobriquet ‘Champion of India’s Peasants’ for his work towards upliftment of farmers and development of agriculture throughout the country.He also authored several books on farmers' upliftment. Some prominent titles are - ‘Abolition of Zamindari’, ‘Co-operative Farming X’, ‘Prevention of Division of Holdings Below a Certain Minimum’.Importance of agriculture in Indian economyAlmost half of India’s rural households have insignificant stakes in agriculture. According to 2019 Situation Assessment Survey (SAS), there are 93.1 million agricultural households in rural India.An agricultural household is defined as one which produced field or horticultural crops, livestock, or other specified agricultural products worth more than ₹4,000 and had a member self-employed in agriculture in the 365 days preceding the survey.All you need to know about Chaudhary Charan SinghChaudhary Charan Singh was born on December 23, 1902, in Uttar Pradesh, in a middle-class peasant family.Influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence, Singh entered the Independence movement. After Independence, he associated himself with socialism in rural areas.He was the chief architect of land reforms in Uttar Pradesh. He took a leading part in the formulation and finalisation of the Debt Redemption Bill 1939, which brought great relief to rural debtors.

Hindustan Times

23-12-2021

India