Politics over farmers reaches a new low, opposition unites to exploit the opportunity

Today, Delhi has witnessed a so-called Farmers March or Farmers rally which could be at best described as ‘mobocracy’. Various opposition parties are using farmers as cannon fodder to target the Modi government. Political vultures are leaving no stone unturned to exploit the sufferings and emotions of farmers to achieve their own mean interest. Farmers are a mere excuse; the main agenda of opposition parties is to somehow throw Modi government out of power. The Congress President Rahul Gandhi even addressed the farmers at Jantar Mantar when his party has done nothing for them in Punjab and Karnataka. The Congress party’s promise to waive off the farmer loans within 10 days of coming to power in Karnataka proved to be a hollow one. 

Representatives of 21 political parties, including Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Sitaram Yechury, Farooq Abdullah and Sharad Yadav, stood together on the stage at the Jantar Mantar.

All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) is one of the main organisations leading the so-called farmers to march in Delhi. It was formed under the aegis of All India Kisan Sabha and other Left-affiliated bodies in June 2017. The organization donned the farmers with red caps and red flags making it look more like a CPM march. Many people raised questions about the intention of protest and also said that it is a politically motivated protest march.

Many other communist organizations also participated in the march.

Yogendra Yadav’s Swaraj India was among the participant in so-called farmers march.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also addressed farmers rally at Jantar Mantar and had nothing fruitful his tank except rant against PM Modi.

Speaking at the rally, CPI(M) used foul language against PM Modi and termed him as a “pocket-maar who takes all your money and gives back a little as a sop”.

There is ample evidence to prove that this is more of politically motivated march which is directed against PM Modi despite being the fact that Modi government has done so much for the farmers since it came to power.

The incumbent government has taken significant steps to improve the condition of farmers of the nation. Initiatives like E-Nam, PM Kisan Sampada and PMGSY(Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana) are solution of farmers problem and not the mindless protests sponsored by anti-farmer elements. 

In June 2016, Pradhan Mantri fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) was rolled out to insure crops. The insurance scheme made farming as secure as any other profession. If crop suffers due to any reason like drought, excessive rain etcetera, insurers will pay the output price. To provide irrigation facilities to farmers across the country, PM Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) and pumped money into the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to increase credit penetration to the agrarian sector. The steps taken by the government coupled with good monsoon proved beneficial for agriculture and the sector grew at 6.3 percent in 2016-17. However, growth moderated to 3 percent in 2017-18 due to the high base effect. In the first quarter of this financial year, agricultural growth was 5.3 percent compared to 3 percent in same period of last year.

Protests are a good way to bring out your anger and frustration but it does not change anything in the long run. Farmers should work in tandem with the incumbent government if they want to bring prosperity in their lives and embrace science and technology in farming rather than indulging in futile protests.

All the well sponsored and well-organized protests ahead of 2019 general elections is nothing but a veiled way of anti-campaigning. The country is likely to witness many more such protests in the days to come ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.