Farmer movement: Is this a master stroke of the Modi government?

On November 19, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the Prime Minister addressed the nation and announced the repeal of three controversial agricultural laws. After which two parties came forward, one is the one who is celebrating. Calling it a victory for the farmers. Others who are seeing it as the defeat of the government. Perhaps they felt that the stature of the government was reduced and Khalistani terrorists, traitors etc. had won. That is, the matter came down to feelings. While political experts were looking at it by linking it to the elections of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, some saw the victory of democracy in it. In such a situation, the question is being raised whether the farmers sitting on the borders of Delhi will return to their homes?

On 17 September 2020, three agricultural laws were approved in the Lok Sabha, due to which the rift between the NDA ie BJP alliance was also visible immediately. By the end of the evening, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur had resigned from the government in protest against the Agriculture Bills in a tweet at 8.39. But after this, on September 20, amidst the uproar, the Agriculture Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha.

Seven days later, on September 27, the country got three agricultural laws with the signature of President Kovind on the bill. Now the game started from here. Some called it politics and some called it opposition to the government. On 14 October 2020, when about 29 farmers’ organizations of Punjab were opposing it, talks of the representatives of these farmers’ organizations with the Ministry of Agriculture were held which was inconclusive.

In Punjab, Akali Dal and Congress were very angry with this. In the midst of this commotion, more than a month passed. On November 24, more than 500 farmer organizations united and a front was formed. Which was named United Kisan Morcha. Even from TV studios to social media, except a few posts and discussions on this, no one was in much cognizance of anyone. It seemed that there is a bill, there will be a lot of opposition, later the matter will be settled. But on November 25, the farmers of Haryana and Punjab traveled to Delhi. To block their way, berigats were installed at different places. There was water cannon, tear gas shells were fired. That is, this nuisance between the police and the farmers made the three agricultural laws disputed and brought it on the national and international stage.

From this, news studios started decorating. By the end of the night, words like Khalistan Pakistan terrorism started being heard. From Twitter to Facebook, WhatsApp, posts of nuisance started being shared everywhere. Finally, till the next day, 26 November, the farmers’ organizations came and stood on the borders of Delhi. Along with foreign leaders, alleged celebrities like Mian Khalifa Greta Rihanna also started tweeting.

Due to this the common man of the country was divided into two parts. One is in favor of the law, the other against the law. Those who were in favor of the law were distributed on social media like anti-government and anti-government anti-national traitors. Well, on December 11, the farmers union reached the Supreme Court in protest against the three laws. Accepting his petition, the Supreme Court temporarily stayed the three laws. Meetings started between the government and the farmers. In the meantime it was decided that all the issues would be resolved peacefully. The government also admitted that some provisions in the bill are wrong, they can be discussed, they can be removed. By the way, there was talk of eleven rounds, on 22 January 2021, there was talk of the last round.

Meanwhile, on 26th January, the country got busy in celebrating its Independence Day. It was learned that on January 26, farmers’ organizations will also take out a tractor rally. There is no need to tell what happened on that day of 26 January. From the hoisting of the alleged religious flag at the Red Fort, violence erupted, a farmer was killed in an accident at a berigate and several police personnel were injured in other incidents.

That is, now the farmers’ movement has become a topic of global discussion. Hurt by the incident of 26 January, many farmers left the tents of the movement and started returning to their homes. The tents looked empty, people were ashamed. By January 29, there was talk of reconciliation on the stage regarding the end of the movement and the arrest of Rakesh Tikait, the national spokesperson of BKU. Tiket agreed to his arrest. ADM City Shailendra Singh, Additional SP Gyanendra Singh and other officers were talking on behalf of the administration. It was almost agreed that Rakesh Tikait would give his arrest and the protest would end at the agitation site. Before giving arrest, Rakesh Tiket had called his family to meet Ghazipur. The news was almost ready in the news studios, it was just a matter of going on.

Meanwhile, showing fake patriotism, a BJP MLA Nandkishore Gurjar, along with more than 100 workers, entered the Ghazipur tent. On getting information about the beating, Rakesh Tikait left the conversation in the middle and stood on the stage, as soon as he took over the mic, he said that a conspiracy is being hatched against us. I will be arrested from here and the farmers who came with me will be beaten up.

What was just then, the peasant movement, which was on the verge of ending, was revived again. When Rakesh Tiket cried and said that I will hang myself on the stage, but now I will not leave this stage. BJP MLAs are doing hooliganism downstairs and here the administration is in talks with me. Now no one will arrest, will eat bullets, will eat sticks, but will not allow hooliganism. Now the movement will continue.

After this the movement took an emotional form. Overnight, lakhs of farmers from Haryana, Punjab, West, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan started traveling to Delhi. On the morning of 30 January, the Ghazipur border turned into the base of many opposition parties and media of the country.

Then on the statement, the farmers involved in the statement movement were given tags like mawali, wolf, goon. Hearing this, the common people started getting furious. The matter began to focus more on sentiments than on the Agriculture Bill. Here were the statements of the government ministers and on the other hand, many bizarre statements of farmer leaders also started coming. The movement took a new direction, a new face. It can also be said that from both the sides, it has now become an arena of self-respect and stubbornness.

Farmers celebrated Black Day on 22 May. Then sometimes stop the rail, sometimes India bandh, sometimes this bandh, sometimes that bandh period has started. BJP leaders started protesting in their own constituency. They started getting beaten up with black flags somewhere. The matter escalated and on August 28, near the toll plaza in Haryana’s Karnal, the police lathi-charged the farmers on the farmers who were opposing Chief Minister Khattar on three agricultural laws, in which one farmer died and many were injured. For four days, thousands of farmers gheraoed the mini secretariat in Karnal, which ended only after the settlement.

Meanwhile, the Lakhimpur Kheri incident happened on 3 October 2021. Where it was alleged that the son of the Minister of State for Home had trampled four farmers and a journalist under his car Thar. After this, the allegation of beating three BJP workers to death by the angry farmers present there came to the fore.

However, showing immediate seriousness in this matter, Yogi ji gave way to Rakesh Tiket to go to Lakhimpur Kheri and settled the matter in about 24 hours, giving the opposition a chance to do politics. It is believed that due to pressure from Ajay Mishra to resign and his son’s arrest, the ball again went into the court of farmer leaders. But on November 8, when the report of Forensic Lab FSL came in the Lakhimpur Kheri case, the matter was reversed. Because it was clear in the report that during the riots, Ashish Mishra’s rifle and revolver and Ankit Das’s repeater gun and pistol were fired upon the farmers.

Now the farmers’ organizations were once again preparing for their march to Delhi on 26th November with their demands that on 26th November all the farmers would enter Delhi and during this the PM residence or Parliament would be gheraoed. But even before that on November 19, with the Prime Minister talking about withdrawing the bill, the issue was resolved about 80 percent. Now it is not easy to say what will happen next because perhaps their pieces will be raised again from both the sides.

BY Rajeev Choudhary Author  Blogger Youtubers