Is the farmers' strike still not contained ??

The 26th and 27th of November was become victim to the great landmark of the Indian political history at the capital city, Delhi. The historic Delhi March was attended by around 250 million agricultural farmers. Yet we could see the backlash of the farmers’ agitation which was all over the news media??

Even today, they aren't got a suitable answer to their needs and the issue remains yet to be solved.

Why they were witnessed to a disregard from the prevailing administrators? Aren't they a custodian to the means of substance throughout our country??

Then why they didn't get their requirements? Still they are struggling to get justice.

 The reason is that an average of 46% of India's workforce is employed in the agricultural sector. In the case of landlords, the number of small piece holders is increasing day by day. Till today, an estimated five lakh farmer suicides have been reported in the country.

Three bills that provoked public sentiments...

The central government passed the laws in late September without proper discussion on the miserable livelihood of such farmers. There are mainly three bills that are put out the peace of farmers.

Firstly, The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill 2020, which reforms the facilities for buying and selling agricultural produce.

Secondly, with regard to the price of produce, the farmers (empowerment and promotion) agreement of price assurance and farm service bill, 2020.

Thirdly, the essential commodities (amendment) bill, 2020.

The BJP central government claims that these will be revolutionary in the country's agricultural sector and doubles farm incomes.

The everlasting consequences behind it....

Under the first of these laws, farmers were no longer required to sell their produce in markets controlled by the APMC (Agricultural produce market committee) in India without mandis(traditional markets).

That way, private companies and monopolies can now sell directly. This will lead to stiff competition in the market. So the promise is that farmers will get better prices.

According to the second law,

The basis for contract farming is emerging in the country. The pre-determined ban is for farmers to enter into agreements with agri-businesses and companies to produce in their own way, at the price they want.

This will only serve to further reduce the existing food security.

Under the Third Amendment..,

The Cereals, legumes, oilseeds and other food items like onions, potatoes etc have been removed from the necessary items list. The government usually has no control over their prices.

Lots of questions to be answered…

In short, what is happening here?

Decisions on all aspects of agriculture, such as production, marketing, etc., are left to the corporates. Those 85% of small farmers who are struggling to find their livelihood without any protection from the state are throwing themselves in front of private monopolies with no protection.

The only way left is to abandon farming in front of the farmers.

With the introduction of this bill, there are two main problems.

The first is that the marketing centers where farmers sell their produce will be completely demolished with the advent of these laws. Farmers sell their produce mainly through marketing centers.

The fact is that the new rules will lead to the complete breakdown of a series system in which these products are available to intermediaries and the intermediaries sell these products to consumers, rather than the products being bought directly by the big business.

Another important mission of the APMC (Agricultural produce market committee) mandis in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh,

The fact is that the APMC mandis also acted as a mechanism to protect the farmers. This means that when farmers come here and sell, they will be guaranteed a minimum support price. They could sell their products without going below a certain price. Losing it is another major concern caused by the demolition of APMC centres.

The main criticism is that with the abolition of APMC (Agricultural produce market committee)mandis and the consequent loss of support prices to farmers, the agricultural sector will be adversely affected on a large scale.

That is, a large number of big businessmen will enter the arena and this will lead to massive exploitation.

 Irrational arguments put forward by the central government....

The central government says that APMC (Agricultural produce market committee)mandies provide an opportunity for farmers to sell without relying on them. But when the APMC says that farmers can go elsewhere and sell without relying on mandis, even though; many basic facilities are not available to them.

for example; A farmer in Punjab can rely on a customer in Karnataka to sell his harvest. But the connectivity to deliver this product to that customer is very limited. Or it remains to be seen whether it will be greatly adversely affected. Therefore, the bargaining power of the farmer is greatly reduced, especially when it comes to big business. This is why the criticism against it is so intense.

Another important criticism that the Central Government is encroaching on the powers of the State Government. Several organizations, including the opposition, have already come forward to criticize. Along with the farmers, opposition organizations are also active in the struggle. That is, the Central Government encroaches on the legislative areas of the State Government and makes laws. APMCs are established by the laws of the State Governments.

The APMC is also being questioned as a move that calls into question the federalism of the country itself when the central government establishes legislation that goes beyond the legal possibility.

Petitions in this regard are pending before the Supreme Court. The courts also have to answer because they are related to federalism.

It is perhaps the biggest struggle the country has ever seen. As the strike intensified, the central government had to back down at every stage.

In the first phase, the central government later backtracked on its position that the protesters would not have a chance to enter Delhi. As the strike intensified, it was later invited to a discussion on certain conditions. But the farmers were not willing to give in to any of those conditions. The farmers were of the view that they were only prepared for an unconditional discussion.

Attempting to evacuate first with water cannons and then with tear gas, they had to invite the farmers to the discussion without any means.

To understand the depth of this projection, two important things need to be known…

The contribution of farmers to GDP in the country is 18%. And agriculture is the livelihood of more than 60% of the Indian population.

The farmers are of the view that they will not go back without withdrawing all the three bills. If approved by the Central Government, it will also give strength to the democratic process of the country....