Dampening Democracy: Planned Anarchy in the name of farmers

 

They came in their hordes to lay siege on the National Capital. Several of them who thronged Delhi border along the National Highway 1, purportedly to protest against farm bills, bracing bone-chilling winter of December, couldn’t figure out as to what brought them to the outskirts from the hinterlands of Punjab. With anxieties writ large on their faces, a few mustered strength to mutter: ‘Modi is up to grabbing our land’. Some spelt out totally unconnected reasons: higher electricity bills and rising prices of essential items. They were genuine farmers but a misguided lot. Among them were ‘farmers’ who came driving swanky brand new tractors and cars with menacing and sinister designs: They had national, international and sub-national agendas on their platter. Riding high on ‘Khalistani-Jihadi’ alignment, some outfits proclaimed the protest would culminate in the creation of Khalistan, while others sought repeal of Citizenship Amendment Act and reinstatement of Article 370. Many of the slogans raised at the protest sites were outright anti-national. A viral video showed that a ‘farmer’ saying: ‘There will not be Bharat Mata ki Jai but Sat Sri Akal and Allah-o-Akbar’. Laying bare the separatist undercurrents that bind a conglomeration of ‘civil society’ organisations and their collaboration thereof, a man in skull cap said ‘Sardar log helpedus during Shaheen Bag agitation’ and that now it’s time to return the favour. Anarchists of all shades have teamed up together to create mayhem on Delhi streets. A Maoist poster at a protest site read: ‘Not Modi, not Yogi, farmers will rule India’. It is reported that logistic support for the agitation is being provided by a clutch of Ultra-Left NGOs with anarchist streak with active connivance of Aam Admi Party and Congress leaders who see to it that the agitation is kept alive without any resolution. Social media behemoths which are controlled by the Left-Liberal ecosystem are also adding fuel to the fire. Having tasted blood in US elections, they plan to replicate the same strategy in India in the coming general election, feel observers.

The government had issued the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020; the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020; and the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020 on June 5. The objective of the Bills was to make way for creating the Modi government’s ambitious vision of ‘One India, One Agriculture Market’. Notwithstanding the good intentions of the government, some farm groups expressed certain fears. For the real farmers who are till now sustained under the government patronage, getting into an open market is a matter of concern — which is understandable. Although several organisations, including those inspired by the Sangh, had raised reservations about certain provisions of the proposed legislation, there was no major outcry. Later, these three Bills were passed by both Houses of Parliament. The Bills sought to dismantle the traditional system of trade in agricultural commodities by reducing the role of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) and enabling competition by private players. The law also aims to empower farmers, increase their income and remove middlemen. Although these committees are governed by various state laws, over a period of time, these bodies have metamorphosed into monopolies. These committees have complete control over the trade much to the chagrin of hapless farmers. Farmers are at the mercy of these commission agents — arhtiyas–who have money and muscle power and political clout.There are about 47,000 arhtiyas in Punjab.

Almost all farm organisations, including the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) which is spearheading the agitation demanding the roll back of Farm Bills had demanded abolition of APMCs in 2019, full freedom to sell, rent and lease farmland, contract farming, etc. Like BKU, the main opposition Congress has gone back on its promise in the manifesto about farm sector reforms. During a debate on allowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the farm sector, in the Lok Sabha in December 2012, Shri Kapil Sibal said: “What is the purpose of this policy? The farmer should get a higher price than he gets in the market, in the mandi. The farmers should get a higher price.”Out of power, they lost all interest in farmers’ welfare and are siding with exploiters.

However, the Congress U-turn has not gone down well with party men. Making a scathing attack on the Congress leadership, Shri Sanjay Jha, former party spokesperson tweeted: “The Congress making an awful mistake with opportunistic politics on Farm Bills. We have reversed our promise made in the Election Manifesto of 2019. That is unprincipled. And why didn’t we make MSP into a law ourselves earlier if that is a deal-breaker? Poor leadership.” Political expediency forced the Congress–which had outsourced its agitational programmes to Ultra-Left outfits–to eat its own words.

It is fact that all political parties in Punjab are opposed to the Bills. The reasons are too obvious. It has also to do with the open-ended purchases of wheat and rice for the economy and finances of the state. “The biannual affair when gigantic quantities of wheat and rice are purchased from the state injects huge sums of money into its economy, all funded by the Centre. It is a common mistake to assume that the cost of wheat (a rabi crop) and rice (a kharif crop) is just the MSP announced by the Centre, although that is the single-largest item in the bill. There are, in addition, costs of handling, storage and transport. But over and above these costs, the Punjab government imposes a Rural Development Fee (RDF) and a market fee for any purchases within market yards that fall under its APMCs. Each of these fees is levied at the rate of 3 per cent of MSP. As the MSP and the quantity of foodgrain bought by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) rise, so do these fees that go to the coffers of the state government,” writes columnist Siddharth Singh.

There is more to the present farmers’ agitation than meets the eye. Intelligence agencies vouch that the threat of Khalistani takeover of farmers’ agitation is almost complete. All anarchist groups and Leftist malcontents have come together. The sheer number of pro-Khalistan outfits that take part in the agitation and quantum of funds flowing into the coffers of these outfits from abroad is mind-blowing and portends a threat to the national security and integrity. Actor Deep Sidhu, one of the celebrities who came out in support of farmers’ protest,had called for right to self-determination for Sikhs. He played the victim card and the said the Indian state is working against the Sikh community.

In a shocking incident, on September 25, an Army cavalcade was blocked and pro-Khalistan slogans were raised in Ambala by protesters. An overseas pro-Khalistani outfit supported by Pakistan’s ISI, Sikhs For Justice, announced $10,000 prize to separatists who would raise Khalistan flags at the Shambhu Border protest. The SFJ also announced $1 Million fund for farmers who had any kind of loss in clashes with Haryana police. The organisation had planned to set up 24-hour call centres in the US, Canada, UK, France and Germany for the aborted November 30 event. It claimed that Khalistani posters and flags are stocked at Bangla Sahib, RakabGanj Sahib, Sis Ganj Sahib and MajnukaTilaGurdwaras. “From October 1 to October 8, any farmer — irrespective of his faith — can register 25 votes for the Khalistan Referendum 2020 and get a grant of Rs 5,000 as assistance to repay their agricultural loans,” SJF said.

The forces that want farmers to remain the prisoners of socialist regime and face the crisis of fragmentation of land are using the sentiments of farmers to weaken democracy. Also, the decimation of Opposition and abdication of its responsibility by the main Opposition party is giving an opportunity for anarchists to flourish. It is in the interest of the nation that these forces are defeated lock, stock and barrel. All concerned citizens in democracy and real democratic forces should communicate with the farming communities and make them aware of the pros and cons of the reforms.