The food provider is on the path of struggle

In Indian culture, the status of the food provider has been given with great pride. If there is a farmer, there is agriculture, and if there is agriculture, there is food. But for some time now, we have been seeing that the farmers are on the roads with their demands. They have set up fronts on the borders of Punjab.

 While the farmers are facing severe cold, heat and rain, the common people are also suffering due to the closure of roads. Many times, trains have also been stopped, due to which the passengers have also been inconvenienced and the governments have also suffered a loss of crores of rupees. Although from time to time, the farmers have been involved in short-term movements for their demands. But today's struggle has become much longer.

If we talk about the background of this movement, in September 2020, Parliament passed 3 agricultural laws: Number One Farmers Produce, Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill 2020, Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement and Essential Commodities (Research) Bill 2020.

The government claimed that such a system would reduce government interference in the agriculture sector and create more opportunities for the private sector. Farmers were not sure about the government's intentions.

Farmers have been on the path of struggle since the passage of these laws. Various farmer groups portrayed them as anti-farmer black laws. Farmers and their representatives fought a lot to get them repealed. Permanent fronts were set up on the borders of Delhi. Farmers also rejected the Supreme Court's order to stay these laws. Several meetings were held between representatives of the central government and farmer leaders, but all were inconclusive. 

Therefore, more than 500 farmer groups from across the country were protesting. The farmers believe that this law will end the market system and leave the farmers at the mercy of the corporates. Apart from this, this system will end the business and mutual relations of the arhtiyas (commission agents) who act as middlemen by providing financial loans and ensuring timely procurement, promising a fair price for their crops.

 Apart from this, the abolition of APMC markets will encourage the end of the purchase of their crops at the minimum support purchase price. Therefore, they are demanding a written guarantee of purchase at M.S.P. i.e. minimum support price.
The news of this entire movement spread all over the world. Due to this, the working farmers of the country suffered a lot. According to the data of Kisan Jatha Bandiya, about 750 activists have lost their lives, even though the government has withdrawn these and other black laws, but the struggle of the farmers is still going on.

Some farmer leaders have been on a fast unto death for the past few days. They allege that the government has not fulfilled the promises made to them. Their main demands are:
Convening a special session of the Samad to completely repeal the three farm laws. Making the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and government procurement of crops a legal right. Assurance of continuation of the traditional procurement system. Implementation of the Swaminathan Committee report. Reduction in the prices of diesel for use in agriculture. 

Cancellation of the cases registered against the accused of burning of dharali. Abolition of the Electricity Ordinance 2020. The demand for withdrawal and release of all charges against the farmer leaders is included.

Punjab is mainly an agricultural state. But in today's time, since agriculture is not a profitable business, our next generation is getting alienated from this profession. The main reasons for this are increasing agricultural costs and decreasing profits. Punjab is moving towards becoming a desert today. The falling ground water level is a matter of concern for everyone. Apart from this, fake seeds, fake pesticides and fertilizers have broken the back of agriculture. The surprising change in the weather is weighing on the agricultural people. 

Today, the laborer and the farmer are going through pitiful conditions. Food and food reserves are the basic needs of every nation. They will survive only if the farmer and our agriculture survive. Mahatma Gandhi ji had said that India lives in villages. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for the people in our villages. The nation will be called prosperous only when the laborers and farmers living in those villages are prosperous. 

The main need of the hour is for the governments to join hands with the farmers and find a meaningful and lasting solution to this agitation.

Davinder Kumar (Editor)