Government Bungles To Allow The Farmers To Regain The Upper Hand
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2021-02-01 02:52:17
About the Author
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
It seems that the vacate the borders order by the UP government and the subsequent show of strength by massive deployment of security forces at the Ghazipur border has strengthened the resolve of at least Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) led by Ramesh Tikait to continue with the agitation with renewed vigour. Although the government had no alternative but to take action after the anarchy displayed in Delhi during the tractor rally by the farmers on Republic Day, one feels that things were rushed unnecessarily. Since the Centre is having regular back channel discussion with the unions, there was no need to deploy the forces in a threatening way before knowing what the unions would do. At one point, it was becoming clear that the BKU would withdraw from the protest for now due to the Republic Day fiasco, but that seems unlikely now. The image of a weeping Tikait, when juxtaposed with the buildup of security forces, created a feeling of state might deployed against helpless farmers and titled the scales in favour of the movement once again. There has been a renewed outpouring of support for the movement thereafter.
Elsewhere, the apolitical and voluntary nature of the protest is fast disappearing. Politicians of all hue are making a beeline for farm leaders and it is becoming clear that they will provide man power and logistic support to keep the agitation running. Akali Dal has already asked its workers to join the movement at Singhu border. It has also been reported that panchayats in Punjab are issuing diktats to families to send at least one member to the borders. Failure to comply with this would result in fines being imposed on the family. This makes it a forced movement now. With the opposition likely to take up the matter in Parliament, the movement will take political colours now.
One feels that the government is doing the wrong things by proceeding against the movement as a whole. The issuance of lookout circulars against farm leaders, as if they are criminals, is insulting and will vitiate the atmosphere. They must be asked to join the investigations first, failing which action should be taken as per law. But going after them in this manner is not good. The peaceful and apolitical nature of the movement (apart from infiltration by some unruly and maybe Khalistani elements, which is quite possible in a movement comprising of so many diverse and different unions) was not in doubt till Republic Day. So the government should give the farmers the benefit of the doubt, scan the CCTV footage of the trouble spots like the ITO and Red Fort and proceed only against those elements that actually instigated or took part in the mayhem. It is absurd to allege that responsible farm leaders knowingly indulged in a conspiracy to allow the Republic Day fiasco to happen. For, they gained nothing and lost a lot of goodwill due to it. Investigations must proceed as per law but the bias against farm leaders must be shed and actual perpetrators must be brought to book. Once the government takes this stand, misunderstandings will be cleared and the ground would be set for further talks.
