Ever since father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi demonstrated the power of Satyagraha, we have been using various kinds of these mechanisms to fight against the powerful. However, it’s up to the dissentients to meticulously choose the kind of Satyagraha and ensure its successful implementation with no or minimal collateral damage including in terms of sentiments. While designing the strategy, dissentients must also consider the kind of government they are up against – Left, Right or Center. In recent protest by farmers against Right wing BJP led Maharashtra government, leaders of dissentients seemed to fail miserably to determine the right kind of protest they should stage and ended up having differences in opinion among themselves, some even calling off the strike. This in turn resulted in reactions quite contrary to what was expected – Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis had the last laugh whereas farmers’ leader and MP Raju Shetti was not at all happy and said during media interactions that he will soon call a meeting of all farmers association and organizations to deal with this issue.
Valid Reasons
Fadnavis can and has appropriately blamed erstwhile governments for irrigation scam on the basis of 2012 Economic Survey which states that the state’s irrigation potential had increased by only 0.1% during the past decade, even after ₹70,000 crore had been spent on various projects causing huge damage to the exchequer. Even in that case, farmers have a very valid argument that irrespective of the party ruling the state they have to suffer. Despite the provision of ‘Jalayukta Shivar’ farmers in Maharashtra especially in Marathwada and Vidarbha are still under immense debt. They need uninterrupted power supply to farms and free but efficient drip and sprinkler irrigation. Unfortunately, they have to purchase electricity at higher prices but are not yet getting fair support price for their products, adding to the already existing debts.
Genuine Demands
Farmers in Maharashtra have been suffering for more than a decade. As per The National Crime Records Bureau of India, in 2012, the state of Maharashtra, with 3,786 farmers’ suicides, accounted for about a quarter of the all India’s farmer suicides total as reported by the Maharashtra government, 3,228 farmers have committed suicide in 2015. Given this scenario, it’s quite fair that farmers on strike are demanding implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendation that they be paid 50 per cent over and above the minimum support price as the cost of production, waiver of farm loans, zero interest credit supply, pension scheme for farmers who have attained the age of 60 years, Rs50 per litre price for milk, uninterrupted power supply to farms and 100 per cent subsidy for drip and sprinkler irrigation. BJP ruled Uttar Pradesh Government has already announced loan waiver for farmers.
Wrong Protest
Though the reasons and demands are quite valid, way of protest by the farmers is amiss. BJP-led Maharashtra government is a right wing government whose voter base comprises vast majority of middle class and upper middle class. But after demonetization even the poorest of poor has been inclined towards the party. In the name of protests, farmers are wasting hundreds of liters of milk and tones of vegetables and fruits on the streets. This aspect is not going well with the common man who is already grappling with high rate of inflation. Farmers are losing support from the general public who otherwise used to strongly criticize the government over the issues related to agriculture and famers’ suicide. Inadvertently, during the protest, farmers’ organizations have projected farmers as villains. At a time when central and state governments are implementing policies to limit food wastages in public functions, restaurants and hotels, farmers are wasting enormous amount of food. The poor in this nation is suffering unnecessarily once again – a major collateral damage. This will certainly result in serious consequences not only for the poor and the middle class society, but also for the farmers. Whether the demands of farmers are met or not, BJP led government seem to gain a big support from already troubled general public, making the government more strong and able to deal with the protest.
Saket Aloni
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
