Farmers Movement Archive

Before it’s too late, strike down the farm laws

Govt must break the impasseNever before in India farmers’ peaceful protest with such a magnitude has taken place anywhere across the country’s map. But what is most worrying is huge gathering of gullible farmers amid the pandemic. The Centre is totally bound to protect our farmers from this incurable disease sitting at the borders of Delhi, which is presently also reeling under severe cold weather conditions. No governing dispensation can be so cruel and indifferent towards own people who are peacefully demanding justice through reversing some wrongs done to them. The leadership of farmers deserves to be adequately recognised for their proficiency to keep the movement integrated and focused, free from any communal overtones. Given the circumstances, the government must immediately come forward to resolve the impasse and unilaterally declare revocation of three farm laws against which the farming community has put everything on stake. Jagdish ChanderShun rigid postures & expedite talksFarmers have been protesting for over three months against the agri laws. Finding no redressal to their grievances, they reached national capital’s borders in huge numbers, dismantling all coercive hurdles in their way to express resentment before the Centre. Since then, they have been camping, braving the chilling weather besides the Covid threat still looming large. The roads entering Delhi are blocked by the protesters. Economic development of the region, already paralysed by the pandemic, has been hit severely. Inordinate dilly-dallying even after six rounds of talks to clear the impasse has cropped up simmering discontent than easing out the problem. Farmers are asking to repeal the laws while the government is trying to wriggle out of such demands. So far the agitation has been peaceful, but may turn ugly if some mischief mongers creep in to vitiate the atmosphere. The government should show magnanimity, shun rigid postures and expedite talks to resolve the crisis without a delay. To end the ongoing deadlock, the best way forward would be to suspend the contentious laws and constitute a committee, as envisioned by Supreme Court, comprising of agri experts, farm activists, state and central government representatives to reinvent farm reforms with thorough deliberations. Upholding the essence of human rights and democratic values, the PM must intervene for amiable end to this stalemate. Nirmaljit SinghEconomy may suffer, againIndustrialists are facing hardships due to farmers’ agitation as goods supply chain has been disrupted. Hundreds of factories have been closed in Haryana and Delhi. If this agitation continues for long, it will come as a shock for our economy. Economists and intellectuals should intervene and make farmers aware of the outcomes. Farmers in Punjab are already facing multiple problems as their vegetables are rotting and roads are blocked by farmer unions which connects Punjab to Haryana and Delhi. So there is no way to send vegetables to other states. However, one must always remember that obduracy in any matter is always detrimental for society as well as the country. Saahil HansCan a compromise be the answer?The virus posed a serious threat to life during the farmers’ agitation and it will end up in super-spreading the danger not only in Delhi but the whole country. The winters are here and they are camping outside without masks and maintain no social distancing, the risk of Covid putting new challenges. The government is in power and can do anything to end agitation, they should listen to the farmers demand to revocation of law, at least it should announce the suspension of implementation of law and that these will not be enforced till the concerns of farmers are resolved – the act should be redrafted. It has become the duty of the government to issue an ordinance to amend the three laws. They should consider a compromising solution to end their protest because nothing is coming out after rounds of talks. Even wars between nations have settled through agreement. Here it is not a war, they are our own known as ''anndata''. For both sides it would be good if the matter is resolved as soon as possible before it is too late. Shashi KiranNo point in protestingThe stir has become a huge problem for all the sectors in India. Everybody is facing hardships. But the big challenge is how to tackle coronavirus as well as farmers’ protest simultaneously. The farmers need to understand this and should not gather in such a situation because we haven’t caught Covid-19 yet. The obdurate attitude of the central government is a clear indication that farm laws will not be repealed. The bottom line is there is no point in protesting. If the central government wanted to revoke the law, they would have revoked it. Shailja ThakurFuture could hold doomThe current deadlock between the government and farmer organisations over the three contentious farm laws is quite disappointing. While the Centre is constantly sermoning that these laws will make agriculture more efficient and lucrative, the farming community is unequivocally demanding their revocation as it apprehends losing both its livelihood and lands. With the two sides apparently taking tough stands, farmers are prepared for a long haul and have decided to intensify their stir which has received huge public support in the country and abroad. The national capital has already witnessed a huge movement of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and other states. Enthusiastic and eager to join, more and more people are heading towards Delhi borders with each passing day, in spite of the chilly weather. At the same time, the threat of pandemic is still looming large. The Delhi administration is grappling with the sudden resurgence in cases post-Diwali celebrations and increasing pollution levels. There is an inherent, well-founded risk of the virus transmission as the mandatory health and safety precautions such as distancing, wearing masks and self-sanitisation are taken for a toss. So amid the given pandemic and economic crises trajectories, it is imperative to overcome the continuing impasse between the Centre and the farming community honourably and amicably. Otherwise, it will undermine the country’s socio-economic, political, constitutional and democratic interests. Instead of discrediting, dividing and derailing the farmers’ struggle, the Union government should revisit its legislative overreach and immediately hold conclusive discussions with them to address their specific concerns. It will simultaneously help avert any unsavoury showdown and medical calamity in future. DS KangNo early end in sightIt’s really unfortunate that the central government is stubborn and adamant in not repealing the farm laws. Firstly, there was an ordinance route due to the lockdown because and then the same laws were passed in the Rajya Sabha amidst pandemonium and that also through ‘voice-vote’ and not through proper voting. This government is hell-bent on crushing the democratic rights of the people. No agricultural experts, economists or farmer unions were consulted before enacting these laws. Only ‘Ambanis, Adanis’ and some other corporate houses were favoured to implement these laws. Agrculture was the only factor which was positive in economic index. Rest all were falling down the graph. These corporate houses want to grab the land of the farmers through contract farming and then sow the crops as per their own desire and option. The farmers would be reduced to just labourers in their own fields as has happened in Bihar and in many other states. Now it is a pan-India movement. Though there is a risk of Covid during the agitation but it’s the government to be squarely blamed for this sorry state of affairs. The central government will have to relent sooner or later. If the government indulges in violent crushing of the agitation, it will be catastrophic for the country. The PM is just hoodwinking the farmers and the people through his ‘Mann Ki Baat’. When farmers don’t want these laws, why is he ramming the laws into their throats? Dr JS Wadhwa.A cold-hearted governmentUnlike other protests, the farmer''s protest against the new agri laws has been so far the most peaceful protest in the reign of BJP government in contrast to the CAA Shaheen Bagh protest in Delhi. Keeping in mind the nature of the protest, the Centre should expedite talks and resolve the crisis at the earliest not only due to the Covid threat and farmers out on the road in this bitter cold fighting for their livelihood but also keeping an eye on the clock ticking daily on the losses incurred due to immobilisation of public transport across the borders. The government showed a pitiful sense of dignity and concern when the farmers marched towards the capital and campaigns against these laws, while it grew more influential on social media platforms globally. A day''s incident in Bengal was enough to catch the attention of Union Home Minister and so influential that MHA summoned the DGP and Chief Secretary of West Bengal but lakhs of farmers peacefully protesting for their rights at the border are summoned for discussion after 12 days of protest. This is a tell-tale sign that the government is deliberately delaying the matters in hand by offering non-agreeable agreements paving way for some anti-national elements to appear in the protest which may lead this peaceful protest on the wrong path.Gurmanjot Singh QUESTIONAccidents due to stray cattle are quite common these days as visibility reduces due to fog in the winter season. What measures should be taken to minimise fatal accidents?Suggestions in not more than200 words can be sent to jalandhardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (December 24).

The Tribune

2020-12-21