Farmers have been protesting on the roads of Delhi and the country for almost a year due to the 3 controversial agricultural laws that came into force last year. The government is not ready to take care of the farmers. The government called off the talks after the initial round of talks failed and then did not take any initiative to resume the talks.
On this, the attitude of the ministers of the government is such that the farmers have been described as Maoists, terrorists, Khalistani and even Mawali. DM orders to bang farmers head with lathis, and the Chief Minister asks to lift lathis against the farmers. A few days ago, a minister’s son mounted his car on the farmers who were peacefully agitating, as a result of which 8 lives were lost.
Due to all these incidents, the farmers are now compelled to provide another form to the movement.
What is another shape of the farmer’s movement?
The restraint of the farmers who have been sitting on the roads for a year is now beyond control. Farmers have now adopted another form of protest. Earlier, the farmers were sitting only on the borders of Delhi. Breaking the barricades is not a big deal for the farmers who brought their tractors and agricultural implements with them, but it was the trust in the democracy that the farmers maintained the respect of the barricades of Delhi. Now the farmers have also adopted another method of protest.
The farmers have announced that they will boycott the BJP and leaders of all BJP supported parties. Huge billboards have been put up outside many villages of Haryana that “The entry of BJP and JJP leaders is prohibited in the village. If the leader still comes, he will be responsible for the circumstances arising out of it.”
There is not one village but many villages which have such billboards. Many villages have taken this decision by holding common panchayats. By-elections are to be held in the Ellenabad assembly of Haryana. Similar boards have been installed outside 10 of the 74 villages in the Ellenabad assembly constituency.
Apart from this, it has become difficult for BJP and JJP leaders to come out of the house all over Haryana. In every public meeting of BJP and JJP leaders, farmers reach to protest.
The situation is deteriorating so much that a few days ago, farmers took a BJP MLA Kamal Gupta into custody in Haryana after the farmers’ leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni was going to Lakhimpur Kheri in custody.
And it is not that this resistance is being faced by small leaders only. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala are facing this protest from farmers. No minister, MLA, MP of the Haryana government is left unimpaired by this protest.
As soon as the farmers get the news of any program of any BJP or JJP leader, the contingents of the farmers reach the place to oppose the program. BJP and JJP leaders also have to covertly hold their party meetings. Every day there are reports of farmers clashing with police, lathi-charge, water cannons, breaking of barricades at one place or the other.
A few days ago, the farmers were agitated even after the delay by the government regarding the purchase of paddy crops. Even at that time, Gurnam Singh Chaduni, while addressing the farmers, said that if the government does not purchase paddy from tomorrow, then sit outside the houses of their (BJP, JJP) leaders and don’t even let their dogs come out.
Even in the Lakhimpur case, the farmer leaders have now demanded the dismissal of the minister, saying that as long as the minister Ajay Mishra Teni is sitting in his post, how can there be a fair investigation? Farmer leaders have demanded the minister’s resignation, saying that if the minister is not sacked, the agitation will be intensified.
When democratic governments are not ready to listen to the people of their democracy, then it is no longer a democracy. Democracy means the rule of the people. If people’s voice is not heard under the rule of the people, then the country will spur towards a very awful state. Which will not be a conventional state for the countrymen themselves. In such a situation, the government should take the farmer leaders into confidence and open avenues of dialogue.
Also Read- NHRC increasingly becomes toothless under the Modi government
