Drawing a massive gatheringof farmers and people from all walks of life, Mahapanchyat at Jagraon inLudhiana on Thursday sends a message of getting the farm laws repealed acrossPunjab. It has also send shockwaves across India since the farmers areagitating against the three farm laws:
a.The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020
b. The Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance andFarm Services Act, 2020
c. The Farmers' Produce, Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Act,2020.
After these laws wereenacted in September 2020, the farmers are up in arms and now they areprotesting around the borders in Delhi. Many farmers have died during theprotest that is going strong even after more than 70 days. The farmers,comprising of young and old, women and children, across all religions, blurringthe boundaries of caste and class have come up at the borders in Delhi becausethey only have to choose between a devil and a deep blue sea.
The governments that came topower in the past had also promised to double the incomes of farmers but itremained a distant dream. Situation remains grim for the farmers because fromclimate change to untimely rains and change in price have let down farmers timeand again.
Manish Tiwari, Congressleader, MP and a lawyer has written in an article published in a leading news daily, "Delhi has never understood Punjab anddoes not do so even now." Tiwari further mentions that farmers get around20-24 quintals of wheat from one acre of land in a good year where one quintalequals to 100 Kilogram. He says that if the year is bad, the yield can go downthe slippery slope to 7-10 quintals. As the MSP is Rs 1,925 per quintal, the farmersis likely to get Rs 38,500 per acre.
As per Tiwari, the inputcost is usually around rs 11,300 per acre. Thus, the farmer earns Rs 27,200 peracre for six months which means an amount around Rs 4,530 per month.
Similarly, Tiwari alsoexplains the economics of second major crop of Punjab i.e Rice. In a good year,the yield of Rice is 22-25 quintals per acre. The MSP is Rs 1,870 per quintal.So, the farmer earns Rs 46,750 per acre while the input cost are plugged at Rs13,800 for rice. For six months, the farmer earns Rs 32,950 per acre while the amount is Rs 5,490 permonth.
Itwas extremely important to discuss the background of why farmers areprotesting. They are languishing in a web of low yield, low income and thus,downward mobility. The new laws change the basic structure forfarmers. The entry of big corporate who are already monopolizing everything isa direct threat perceived by farmers and the government is behaving adamant. Theunion government's official stand is really problematic that says only thefarmers of 'one state' have problem with the laws.
Theunion government is misreading the entire atmosphere even if the protests arespearheaded by farmers of Punjab. The mahapanchayats are a biggest proof that not only the farmers ofPunjab but also the farmers of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtraamong others have serious issues with the present laws.
Will farmers' protest lead to emergence of new leadership in Punjab?
Comingback to the Jagraon Mahapanchayat, what is its relevance at atime when the government is holding its believes tightly guarded that theprotesters belong to Punjab at a time when Rakesh Tikait came at the vanguard inthe protest. Will the Mahapanchayats translate into not only morale booster butalso fulfillment of demands of farmers? Is it going to change politicallandscape in Punjab?
At a Mahapanchayat inJagraon, Ludhiana, Kiranjeet Singh Sekhon from Kul Hind Kisan Federation said,"Our bodies may come, but we will not come without winning." BalbirSingh Rajewal, President of BKU Rajewal said, "We will win. However, Iwant to assert to all of you that if we remain peaceful, we will win and if anyviolence happens, Modi will win. After January 26 episode, aandolan suffered asetback, but it took just two days to people to understand the chronology andagain started moving towards Delhi borders, let thsi movement continue. Let usbe the strength at all the border be it Singhu, Tikri, Palwal, Shahjahanpur andeven Ghazipur. I bow before all of you for being the main force behind thismovement."
Such a Mahapanchayat inPunjab's Jagraon in Ludhiana is on the same lines of Mahapanchayats in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh andRajasthan in the past couple of days.
The relevance of suchMahapanchayats have risen manifold because farmers and people attending theMahapanchayats have given a clear signal that they are ready for a long haul. Ata time when the leaders of BJP-JJP ruled Haryana are unable to hold publicmeetings in the state, the farmers are sending a clear signals that the stormis brewing against the ruling BJP at the center also.
These Mahapanchayats havetransformed the farmers' protest into a people's movement. Although, sympathizersof farmers movement have previously also supported it. Everyone from Punjab,Haryana and other areas is personalizing the protests as their fight for thecollective benefit of all. Moreover, at a time when the Modi government isbeing perceived as hand in glove with business tycoons, the farmers' protestcan be a message to the party about its stand on several subjects.
As far as Punjab isconcerned, it is very likely that another front will rise in Punjab. One canexpect Rajewal or any other leader from the farmers' protest to lead that frontpolitically. However, it is still obscure who will be the first to announcesuch a massive front to take down on Congress, SAD, AAP and BJP in the state. Thepolitically landscape will be governed by the farmers' protest. Repeal of thelaws or adamant attitude of the central government, political change has becomeimminent in Punjab. The Chief Minister of Punjab, on various occasions has comeout in support of farmers. Legal, material and other kinds of help is beingpromised by the state authorities. Congress has an upper hand but a new leader can reap the benefits of protest.
Besides changing landscape, farmersissues have again come on the center stage for all the political parties. Theirissues will be highlighted in the election-manifestos. On the repeal of laws,farmers are determined. They want repeal of laws and nothing else. Thesituation will be further determined after the farmers demands will beaccepted.