Inflexible Attitude Of The Farm Unions Is Unfortunate
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2020-12-10 07:27:21
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Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
It is unfortunate that the farmers have refused to accept the government's offer regarding the amendments to the new farm bills and have decided to intensify the stir from December 14. This inflexible stand on part of the farmers is incomprehensible. Have they started the agitation to solve the problem or bring the government to heel? Normally, any agitation is started to highlight a grievance or a problem and get it redressed or solved. But the farmers have shown that they are more interested in forcing the government to completely withdraw the bills rather than amend the contentious clauses and solve the problem. Such an attitude is totally against a resolution and the problem is likely to escalate.
The government, on its part, has given a patient hearing to the farmers. It has noted down their concerns and has come up with detailed and written proposals to solve the problem. Instead of studying the proposals in detail and then pointing out the shortcomings, if any, and asking the government to come up with a better solution, if the farmers reject them out rightly and press for repeal of the laws, it shows that they have already made up their mind that they will not give up their agitation unless the laws are repealed.
Despite being the backbone of the Indian economy, agriculture has not been seriously reformed. The old laws have meant that despite having the MSP for 23 agricultural produce, the government buys only paddy and wheat and that too from a small percentage of farmers if taken on all-India basis. The buying is concentrated in a few states. If the laws are changed to allow private players to buy directly from farmers or any organization floated by the farmers, it will benefit them. Since the government is willing to address their concerns regarding MSP, APMC and others, the farmers should ideally sit with the government to thrash out the contentious clauses and allow it to reform the sector. By displaying an inflexible attitude the farmers are not helping anyone's cause.
