The irony of this is lost on a government drowning in its testosterone: with every nail-studded barricade installed at Tikri, Ghazipur or Singhu, Delhi is making itself progressively redundant to the ongoing course of events, and perhaps even to the future shape of things in India. A subterranean tsunami is slowly building in the country, and the power elite, the pampered middle class and wheeler-dealers of the capital are blissfully unaware of it.
The farmers do not need Delhi to survive or even to prosper, they are creatures of the soil and the elements, and know how to live in harmony with them. They have been at our borders for almost three months now and have taken nothing from Delhi, except, perhaps water, and the Internet – and a lot of abuse. Now the rulers have stopped even the supply of these essentials, having practiced the art for a long time in Kashmir. But the farmers are unfazed – they now get them in abundance from their villages.
Also read: The Shame of Fortress Delhi
For me, in fact, Narendra Modi’s cat was let out of the bag by an economist friend who (in defence of the farm laws) informed me that rural unemployment on a huge scale was inevitable as a country progressed to “developed nation” status. He sent me some charts to establish the correlation between gross domestic product (GDP) and rural unemployment: the higher the GDP, the higher the unemployment in agricultural communities! This is the neoliberal, International Monetary Fund-cum-World Bank formula which has ensured that 100 of the world’s richest billionaires have more wealth than half the world’s population. Modi’s farm laws will be the Indian version of this formula.
The insidious objective is to create cheap labour for industry and big capital. This is already happening in India – 36 million farmers have left farming between 2004 and 2012, 50 million have been “displaced” by capital projects and 500,000 more are uprooted every year, tribals are being evicted from forests. There are already 120 million migrant labourers. It is a dismal picture but not dismal enough for our politicians and wanna-be billionaires. The farm laws were intended to speed up this process, and the barricades are a statement that the government will enforce them, come hell, high water, Rihanna or Greta Thunberg…
But our sturdy farmers, who are more intelligent than we Dilliwallahs give them credit for, have little interest in the barricades, the concertina wires, the foot-long embedded nails blocking their way to Delhi – the product of the fear, paranoia, incompetence and malice of those who rule in Delhi. For the farmers have no reason to go to Delhi anymore, after leaving their visiting card there on January 26.
Every institution they appealed to for the last six months has let them down: parliament, the Supreme Court, the media, mainstream political parties, even the wealthy burghers of South Delhi. The lawyers are silent, the veterans are citing discipline as an excuse for their timidity, the celebrities have tucked their heads beneath their tails, the embassies are “watching the situation”, the IMF and World Bank are hopeful that Modi would carry the day. Delhi has let down the farmer, and he no longer has any need for India’s capital – the word “capital” signifying many things.
And so the farmer has decided to ‘Bypass Delhi’ and take it out of the equation: Rakesh Tikait went to Jind to attend a mahapanchayat on February 3; he avoided Delhi and took the longer route via Haryana. The symbolism of this cannot be ignored. And at Jind, he announced that he will now take the protests to other parts of India. This reminds me of two historical events.
One: the Maginot line was built by France on its borders with Germany to deter any invasion by Hitler. It was so heavily fortified that it was considered impregnable. But when the time came, the Germans simply bypassed it and rolled their Panzers through the Ardennes forest into France without any opposition.
Two – I am thankful to Punya Prasun Bajpai for pointing this out in a video – when Mahatma Gandhi saw that he was making no progress with the British in Delhi and Shimla, he decided to head in the opposite direction – to Dandi in Gujarat – to get a pinch of salt. That further helped to spread his message to the rest of India, to universalise it and give it more strength.
BJP shot itself in the foot
By closing off Delhi, literally and figuratively, to the farmers, Modi and Amit Shah may have committed their biggest miscalculation. They have forced Tikait to change his strategy midway. He is doing three things now: one, he has made Western Uttar Pradesh, not Punjab, the hub of the movement.
This is the region that enabled the BJP to come to power in the state in 2017, winning more than 100 Vidhan Sabha seats in just this belt. The BJP did so by creating a communal rift (remember the Muzzafarnagar riots?) between the dominant communities here, the Jats and the Muslims. Now, Tikait has healed the rift, united both against the government, and demolished the formula that won BJP western UP.
Two, as the de-facto supremo of the farmers’ movement now, Tikait is more acceptable to the rest of the Hindi (or Hindu) heartland than the earlier Sikh leaders and he will be able to take the protests to the other states – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand – more successfully. This is precisely the belt that allows BJP to win big in parliamentary elections, and the spread of the agitation here does not augur well for it. It would have made more sense for the BJP to have limited the protests to Delhi and its vicinity.
Also read: Watch | Rakesh Tikait: The Man Behind the Revival of the Farmers’ Protest
Third, in India, political parties have always won elections, not on the basis of their track records or manifestos, but on the manipulation of identities – religion, caste, backwardness, region. The BJP has been particularly smart at this.
But the farmers’ movement has now begun to erase these sub-identities in favour of a larger one – the farmer identity (which includes the landless labourer, the artisan, even the village shopkeeper). There will be only one identity now, one concern and one demand. With nothing to divide, the Great Divider will not be able to rule: it was a lesson the British had finally learnt, and the BJP will now learn it the hard way.
The game has changed, but the farmers have made it clear that the rules have not – winner takes all. This rule had been made by an arrogant and over-reaching government and it may just come back to bite it.
The nails on the road at Ghazipur could well be the nails in the BJP’s coffin. The pampered and indifferent upper middle classes of Delhi can now live in peace – the battle has been taken away from them, they no longer count.
Avay Shukla is a retired IAS officer. A version of this article appeared on his blog and has been edited by The Wire for style.
Farmers wave the Tricolour during a ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh. PTI
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 5
Amid the growing opposition to the Centre’s agri laws, thousands of farmers today turned up for a “kisan mahapanchayat” in western Uttar Pradesh’s Bhainswal village in Shamli. The protesters reached the village on tractors, two-wheelers, four-wheelers as well as on foot, defying prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC.
Prof Sudhir Panwar, who belongs to Bhainswal and is affiliated with the Samajwadi Party, said: “The aim is to make it all about rural economy instead of agri economy. After all, non-farming castes in the village are largely dependent on farmers for their income.”
Meanwhile, the Haryana Government has extended the suspension of mobile Internet services in Sonepat and Jhajjar districts till 5 pm tomorrow in view of the three-hour “chakka jam” by farm unions. The farmers, however, say emergency and essential services will not be hindered.
Farmers’ leader Rakesh Tikait is expected to arrive at the Kitlana toll plaza in Charkhi Dadri on February 7 to participate in a mahapanchayat, Independent MLA and Sangwan khap pradhan Sombir Sangwan said.
Trudeau’s remarks can harm ties: Govt
The Centre has told Canada that remarks on its internal affairs by its top leaders, including PM Justin Trudeau, had the potential to harm bilateral ties between the two countries. TNS
Unhrc for restraint
UN Human Rights Commission has called for ‘max restraint’ by the govt & protesters. Amid Internet ban, it said peaceful assembly and expression should be protected offline and online.
Tricolour row: Kin of deceased booked
Kin of a Pilibhit farmer, who died in a road mishap near Ghazipur, have been booked for allegedly insulting the Tricolour after a video of his last rites showed the body draped in the Tricolour.
Greta Thunberg. Reuters file photo
Amarjot Kaur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 5
Young guns of ‘generation Z’ today gathered at Matka Chowk here to support farmers and Greta Thunberg, a Swedish environmental activist known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action against climate change. Moved by her tweets and the plight of farmers protesting against the new agricultural laws, the children expressed concern over food security and the future of India.
Udaybir Singh (12) said: “I support Greta for standing up for the farmers. I read her tweet and was deeply moved by her concern for the country.”
Nine-year-old Harveer Pratap Singh stood at the chowk, shouting slogans of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’. He said: “I am here to support the farmers who are rightfully asking for the black laws to be repealed. The government is calling us terrorists, but we are farmers. Farmers are not terrorists.”
Jiya, a 15-year-old city student, backed Greta’s tweet ‘I still stand with farmers’, and said: “I like that Greta’s speaking about the farmers plight and she’s right in supporting the farmers. The government should at least address the issue.”
Zorawar Singh (12) shared: “My father’s in the Army and my family has been farming for generations. The farmers are not anti-nationals. They are fighting for their rights. I am here to support them, just like Greta did.”
Anvi Gupta (12) said: “I saw the news yesterday about Greta and I don’t like what the government is doing. They are hurting farmers for no apparent reason and are supporting private companies. I don’t think the future of this country is secure.”
Protests at Sector 20, Marriot Chowk
People protested at the Sector 20 roundabout and the Marriot Chowk. Parneet Kaur, a teacher, said: “I’m here because these farm laws are not just anti-farmer, but anti-consumer too.” At the Sector 35 roundabout, the protesters from Dhanas distributed badges and flags of the Bhartiya Kisan Union to supporters.
Farmers block the Panchkula-Shimla highway as part of their ‘Chakka Jam’ on Saturday. Tribune Photo
Tribune News Service
Zirakpur, February 6
Several light points on Saturday were blocked by protesters in Zirakpur during the ‘Chakka Jam’ announced by farmers.
Farmers’ union on Friday had announced a ‘Chakka Jam’ to protest against the Internet ban on Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders.
The Chandigarh-Zirakpur border and the Panchkula-Zirakpur border have been blocked. Traffic has come to a complete halt on both sides of the highways.
Meanwhile, in Mohali, main light points and T-points have been blocked by protesters.
Protesters have parked personal vehicles in the middle of the roads.
DSP (Traffic) Guriqbal Singh said: “We are trying to divert the traffic and managing U-turns. The situation is peaceful. No untoward incident reported till now.”
Farmers blocked national and state highways for three hours at Ambala and Kurukshetra.
Tribune News Service
Ambala, February 6
On the call of a nationwide chakka jam given by farmer unions, farmers today blocked national and state highways for three hours at seven locations each in Ambala and Kurukshetra.
Farmers from Haryana and Punjab held a joint protest near the Shambhu toll plaza and raised slogans against the Union Government. Farmer leaders accused the government of making attempts to disturb harmony and not accepting farmers’ demands.
The farmers also blocked the highways near Devi Nagar, Saini Majra near Karasan and Hema Majra in Ambala, Rattangarh near Pipli, Teokar, Ladwa road and Karah Sahib in Kurukshetra.
united they stand
Earlier, we had planned to hold our protest at the Shambhu toll plaza, but a few farmers from Punjab suggested that we should hold a joint protest as it is an area on the border of Haryana and Punjab. It is also an attempt to give a clear message to the government that it should stop making attempts to create differences between Haryana and Punjab. —Gulab Singh, Farmer leader
Due to these blockades, the local police diverted traffic towards alternative routes. However, a large number of vehicles and roadways buses of Punjab preferred to wait till the blockades were lifted. Some people were also seen travelling on foot.
Harmit Singh, who was waiting near the Shambhu toll plaza, said, “I drive a commercial vehicle and after offloading some stock, I was on my way back to Punjab. I extend my full support to the farmers and I will keep waiting here till the blockade is lifted.”
Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) Ambala district vice-president Gulab Singh said, “Earlier, we had planned to hold our protest at the toll plaza but around three days ago, a few farmers from Punjab suggested that we should hold a joint protest as it is a bordering area of Haryana and Punjab. Following their suggestion, we held a joint protest. It is also an attempt to give a clear message to the government that it should stop making attempts to create differences between Haryana and Punjab. We have held a peaceful agitation, the government is under pressure and we are hopeful that our demands will be met soon.”
Narendra Singh Tomar. RSTV/PTI file
Bhopal, February 6
In an apparent attack on Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar over the farmers’ protest, senior RSS leader Raghunandan Sharma has said the arrogance of power had gone to his head.
Sharma, a former BJP Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh, in his Facebook post written two days back, also suggested to the minister that he should work towards strengthening nationalism.
In his social media post that starts with the line, “Narendraji, you are part and parcel of the government,” Sharma said, “Your intention might be of helping the farmers, but if some people don’t want to be helped, what is the use of doing such good?”
“If someone wants to remain naked, what is the use of forcibly clothing him,” he said.
“If you are harbouring a thought that you are reaping the fruits of your hard labour, it is your illusion,” the 73- year-old RSS leader said in the post.
“…Today arrogance of power has gone to your head. Why are you losing the mandate? We are endorsing all rotten policies of the Congress which is not in our interest. Leakage in drops of water from a pitcher empties it. So is with the mandate,” he said.
“Employ all might to strengthen nationalism or else we have to regret. I think you might have read the indication to preserve the ideology,” he added.
Sharma described how the (RSS’s) ideology was developed with toil, sacrifice and devotion over a century for expanding its footprints, propagating service to the motherland, putting nationalism first and leading to the installation of a nationalist government at the Centre.
“Thousands of nationalists have devoted their lives for today’s nationalist government,” he said. PTI
Tribune News Service
Hisar, February 5
A ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ today honoured INLD leader Abhay Chautala, who has resigned from the Assembly in support of the farmers’ protest, with the “Kisan Kesari Samman”.
“For me, there is no post bigger than the farmers’ cause. I will be back in the Assembly with people’s blessings in the byelections,” Abhay said while addressing farmers at Nathusari Chopta in Sirsa.
He further said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured farmers of waiving their loans and implementing the Swaminathan Commission recommendations. But under pressure from the corporate sector, the Centre took an about-turn. It took steps which will leave farmers at the mercy of corporate houses.”
The former Ellenabad MLA hit out at leaders, who claimed to follow in the footsteps of late Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal. “They have shut themselves in their homes, fearing backlash of farmers.”
Abhay urged farmers to participate in tomorrow’s “chakka jam” announced by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha.
Delhi Police on high alert. Tribune Photo: Mukesh Aggarwal
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 6
The Delhi Police have deployed over 40,000 police personnel in and around the National Capital to avoid any kind of flare up amidst calls for a countrywide chakka jam by the Kisan Unions.
Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava visited the Red Fort to oversee preparations. Other than the Delhi police officials, sixty companies of paramilitary forces are also on stand-by.
The police are keen to avoid flash protests, like the ones witnessed on Republic Day when farmers veered off their designated rally route to enter the Red Fort before clashing with the police at ITO.
Additionally, the police have taken few left leaders in preventive custody, including secretary of All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) Manager Chaurasia and vice president of Delhi unit’s Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), who had called for a protest in Shaheed Park to show solidarity with the farmers.
International Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) national treasurer Animesh Das too has been put in preventive detention.
Besides, local police stations have been asked to keep a watch for small protests and other sort of disruptions, with a special focus on West Delhi, which has a large population from Punjab.
In addition, 10 metro stations have been shut. Entry and exit gates of several stations, including Mandi House, ITO, Delhi Gate, and others have been closed as a precautionary measure. Besides twelve other stations have been put on alert and may be closed if protests erupt in those areas. Some Leftists were detained at Shahidi Park.
Sangrur SSP Vivek Sheel Soni giving hockey sticks to sportspersons belonging to underprivileged families.
Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, February 5
Several state and national-level skaters, who belong to underprivileged families, have been mobilising support for the farmers’ agitation against the central farm laws at Delhi borders.
The Sangrur police have been helping these players by providing them the required equipment and ground at the Police Lines. The players, who also work as labourers, plumbers and even watchmen, have announced that on winning medals in the forthcoming state competition from February 12 to 15 at Sangrur, they would dedicate those to farmers.
Not in a position to support financially
Since we are not in a position to contribute much to the stir financially, we have decided to dedicate the medals that we will win in the forthcoming state-level competition to our farmers. — Arun Kumar, state-level skater
“My father is a rickshaw-puller and finds it difficult to meet my requirements. But with the support of the Sangrur police, I have been skating and have won gold in state games twice. I also work as a watchman. Since we all understand the importance of helping the farmers, we are trying to mobilise maximum support for them,” said Rahul Singh (19), while discussing the farmers’ agitation with his friends on the ground.
“We are requesting other players to do the same,”said Arun Kumar, who has won a silver medal in state games and is also learning the work of plumber to support his father.
Sangrur SSP Vivek Sheel Soni has directed his officers to provide these promising players all support on priority to improve their performance. “With the support of DGP Dinkar Gupta, I have been trying to provide maximum facilities to sportspersons, including the ground for practice,” said the SSP.
