Prime Minister addresses the nation on 19 November 2021. In his address, he said to repeal the three farm laws passed earlier. The replacement process will start in the upcoming winter session of the parliament. Farmers are protesting on the outskirts of Delhi over these laws to repeal these laws. In his address to the nation, PM said ” We are not able to convince a group of farmers about the truth which is as pure as the light of earthen lamp”. Reading between the words of the PM, he never said that those farms laws are not good, It is much need reform for the agriculture sector but due to “pressure” it is revoked.

The “pressure” is the upcoming election in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Protesting farmers are mostly from Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh. These dissidents might have changed the equation for the BJP. After defeat in West Bengal, BJP is not in the mood to take any risk. According to some reports BJP has the edge in Eastern and central UP but due to these protests and the alliance of RLD and SP, the equation is not in favour of BJP in western UP. If this move work in favour of the BJP then The Yogi and Modi factor might help them to form government in UP once again. Punjab for BJP was in a state of turmoil due to these protests. Now with a revoke of these laws and internal problems in the congress, BJP somewhat got the benefit. Even today Punjab is not as favourite as UP for the BJP.

Farmers welcomed this move and some are claiming their victory. It is unfortunate for the nation and the agriculture sector in particular. Agriculture sector employs nearly 50% population directly or indirectly but contributes only 15-16% of GDP. Experts from very long asked for agriculture reforms to revive the sector. Improvement in agriculture will increase the per capita income of farmers that in turn revive the rural economy and help it to grow somewhat at par with the urban economy. A country with 86% of small and marginal farmers is struggling to get the bare minimum support from agriculture. It is due to the inertia of the people towards reforms. The sector as a whole demands a complete reform.

Agriculture is a state subject and the state government has the power to bring reforms. After the Green revolution, there is no such big reform that transformed agriculture. MSP, Fertilizer subsidy, electric subsidy, Kisan credit card are some measures that are used to promote the sector. Reforms are long due. Reforms should be on the demand of 21st century India. Reforms should be carried by looking at all the dimensions like economy, Environment, growth sustainable and futuristic. Reforms should be carried zone and crop-wise that help to prosper the farmer and at the same time do not harm the environment. The effect of the Green revolution in Punjab and Haryana is visible, the water table has declined significantly. Fruit, vegetable and allied sectors to agriculture should be included in the reforms. The aim of the policy is to increase the income of the small and marginal farmers. Climate change and the harmful impact of some agriculture practices must be included in the reforms.

Everything is fair in politics either its development or national security. Each and everything will be compromised for the sake of vote bank politics. Laws should be made in the parliament, not on the streets. Parliament is the platform to discuss every possible impact of the law. This incident set the precedent for the street laws. People come to the street and protest for any law which they did not find in their interest and the political class will support it for their cause. This is the new norm, people come and sit on the road to take back laws for example GST, CAA, SC/ST Act and now there is a voice to revoke the Aug 5 decision of Article 370 and 35A. Just imagine a situation if a group of people have disaffection with the bullet train, they will sit on track. Disaffection with the expressway, sit on the road; Disaffection with Central Vista project, sit on India gate, Disaffection with the railway redevelopment project, sit in front of railway Bhawan. This is the street politics and votes bank politics.

This is a country of 130 crore people but a few people in politics run the country according to their whims and fancies. Policies and future development should be at the cost of politics, not vice versa. The dream of becoming” world power” is the dream that is seen by the common people but destroyed by the elite politicians. They fly in choppers and live in 5-star properties from the taxes we pay. I always worry how a politician without any significant income maintains their 5-star life. Welcome to India, where politics is above everything.

Divyanshu Singh

(Views expressed are personal)