The highest population in India is dependent on agriculture where they are the largest producers of wheat and rice. About 55% of the people are farmers. India is one of the largest producers of wheat and rice. Among the 29 states in India, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Bihar are the largest wheat-producing countries, and West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab are the largest rice-producing countries. The crops are sold to traders and governments at a fixed minimum price, for domestic use, and exported. Farmers in India produce crops and produce milk, sugar cane, peanuts, vegetables, fruits, beans, jute, and cotton. According to data from the Brand Equity Foundation of India, during 2019-20, farmers produced 28567 million tons (M.T.) of grain, and the government predicts that the output may reach 289 tons during 2020-21.
In milk production, India produced 198 tons of milk in 2020 and is expected to increase to 211 tons by 2021. Indian farmers had 28.46 tons of sugar during the sugar cane season from October 2019 to May 2020. One of the world's largest exporters exported 38.54 billion U.S. dollars' worth of agricultural products in the last year of 2019. If we talk about the organic food sector, revenue in 2015 was 28 billion rupees (39632 million U.S. dollars), and this output could reach 85,000 crore rupees (10.73 billion U.S. dollars) every ten years by 2025. Thus, indigenous farmers are working hard to boost output, contributing to a growing GDP rate in India. The Indian government issued three new laws that deprive farmers of their rights, and industrialists are responsible for every decision related to agriculture. The farmers were angry and peaceful protests began throughout the country. Most people blocked the capital, Delhi. Peasant protests spread internationally and became the largest protest in Indian history after India's independence (Gill, 2020, December 11). The protest in the country are as a result of the Agriculture beneficial influence on the growth of India and the effects of the passed laws to agriculture.
In late November 2020, India had the largest demonstration in human history. Thousands of people, especially farmers, marched in Parliament against the new regulations. More than 255 million citizens went on a 24-hour solidarity strike. As a result, popular mass movements have gained popularity globally, forcing the government to meet with protesters where they are, rather than just suppressing and cruelly treating them. Farmers oppose legislation that removes crop sales controls to allow private purchasers to gain opportunity in a market overwhelmed by unrestricted endowments for quite a long time (Garg, 2020, December 9). Farmers say that long-term legislative changes to guarantee the situation of small landowners in the market may put large organizations and land in danger. Three disputable farm bills acquainted in the offset of September led to this great protest. The law plans to advertise and disperse farm products and empowers privately owned businesses to buy crops at market costs and eliminate fundamental government limitations. The farmers contend that the neoliberal changes in the current public frameworks in Punjab, Haryana, and Northwest Regions [CITATION Nav20 \l 2057] have fundamentally been destroyed, which will prompt insecurity and heighten poverty levels for the vast majority who rely upon farming. They believe that this is an immediate danger to the whole region's economic livelihood and a threat to its dependability. The social movement’s slogan refers to the battle for opportunity and livelihood of the majority of Indians.
The new agricultural reforms of Indian critics have reorganized the agri-food industry, benefiting private traders and multinational companies and ultimately harming the interests of farmers. In September 2020, the Indian government passed three parliamentary agricultural reform bills, which would liberate the expansive agrarian area and permit farmers to sell straightforwardly to private purchasers rather than state-directed business sectors. This requires them to go into legitimate concurrences with organizations before the arranged collection. As per [CITATION THO21 \l 2057], the focal point of India's political economy and ecological examination keeps on supporting the neoliberal strategies that have been endorsed by major national parties (the People's Party and Congress) since India's early opening of its economy to a free market. The 1990s. Such policies have never received large-scale support in India, and neoliberal reforms are particularly unpopular in the agricultural sector, which still employs more than half of India's labor force. The policies most extensively applied to the industrial and financial sectors in previous rounds of liberalization were, for example, capital liberalization instead of agriculture (Garg, 2020, December 9).
The Modi government has now suddenly implemented neoliberal policies in the agricultural sector, which were converted into the Farmers' Bill of June this year in Parliament in three months. [Citation Jas20 \l 2057] The bill aims to strike a fatal blow to the significant and government-controlled agricultural market (known as the APMC marketing field). The bill also provided free access to agrarian companies that primarily control and use the rural manufacturing market to increase revenue. Under the neoliberal system, the state rejects public circles and allows commercial power to manipulate the situation. They saw that this movement was not aimed at nationalism but it own interest. This movement is rooted in the Punjab Sikh experience and is now supported by people across India who are tired of national and socio-economic despair and social discord. This is a social movement led by a community that has been oppressed -by the split in 1947, and in 1984-if it is not responsible to the Indian state, who knows the corner. Recognizing the state violence in Punjab in the 1980s allows us to understand the concerns of Punjab farmers about the central government. It also shows how the Indian government used violence against its people. Most importantly, it predicted what would happen in today's India if the Indian government did not pursue its undemocratic behavior.
Concerns raised by farmers
Unfortunately, despite making a considerable contribution to India's GDP, farmers are still struggling to make ends meet at this time. The new bill passed by the Prime Minister without discussing it with cabinet ministers or the state government made me wonder what democracy means. Mr. Ambani and Mr. Adnani, wealthy Indian industrialists, now have the right to buy crops from farmers at the prices they want. The passed bill was described in CNBC by S. Chaudhary: There is no minimum selling price. Companies can buy crops at any price they want. Traders licensed by the government are excluded from the process. They have levied a % tax, and now industrialists do not need to pay. In the event of a conflict, farmers have no right to bring any lawsuit against any industrialist who buys their crops at any given time (Fact Check Bureau, 2020, December 5). The farmers cannot burn the leftovers to prepare the following produce after the wheat harvest. The government had to pay the penalty of $210,000. Farmers in the sectors now have to prepay free electricity (Gillespie et al., December 9, 2020, np).
Farmers were devastated by the bill's public announcement. The protests began in September and lasted until the middle of November in every state. The farmers chose to demonstrate in the capital due to a lack of response from government officials. They laid down on the railway tracks to block the trains, and all government buildings were closed up. As a result, the government halted federal shipments, resulting in a coal scarcity in several regions and power outages lasting days. Farmers sought the state government several times, but they did not assist. Listening to and seeing the plight of the country's farmers is sad. The government is crooked, in an attempt to appease the wealthy while causing them to treat citizens of India with contempt, abuse, and disregard. Farmers have gathered in force and are refusing to back down until the government returns the money. They have enough food and water to last them six months, and people from all across the country are giving money and food to assist them in keeping marching. Despite the assault, the farmers are also providing food for the police and army officers who are constantly harassing them (Mohan, & Mistry, 2020).
Police Brutality
Peacefully, farmers called on the Indian government to abolish these laws but encountered water cannons, barbed wire, and the Internet being shut down. It can be seen from the photos that the police are ruthless in using water canyons to attack them in the cold weather. The tear gas bomb was dropped on the border between Punjab and Haryana, Concrete barriers and electrical wires were put in place, and people later broke them. In this assault, an old man was beaten mercilessly and injured his legs, hands, eyes, and back. But there is no force enough to stop the farmers from claiming their rights. On December 1, 55-year-old farmer Sajjan Singh died. He fell ill from the cold water cannon and was pronounced dead in the hospital where the protesters blamed the fatal encounter between the police and farmers in Haryana. Dhanna Singh, Gurjant Singh, Lakhvir Singh, and Janak Singh were the other four farmers who died due to the unbearable fight with the police (Jagga, & Dayal, 2020, December 3).
Images of unarmed farmers brutally treated by the police recalled last year’s “black lives matter” demonstration, which also brought tear gas and police brutality against peaceful protesters marching for racial justice. Like Americans, Indians had deep problems with the meaning of a multi-religious, ethnic and racial democracy (Sidhu, 2020, December 4). The demonstrations encompassed an inclusive multi-religious justice movement in India, which plays a significant role for women and castes as the marginalized. In particular, religious minorities led the campaign. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team used the same language to convince their people that peaceful protesters posed a threat, both recurring like Donald Trump, and equally harmful (Modi is also associated with the Hindu nation. The activists are connected, and their conservatism is on par with the white supremacists abroad). Just like the unprovoked atrocities of the police and the viciousness of the citizens in the summer protests.
India's winter protests were also crowded. This is armed nationalism, realized by nationalism. We can also link the farmers' protests with the protests that have continued since the Burmese army seized control. The military supported the opposition, demanded the resumption of elections, and claimed that bribery was widespread. The Election Commission has no evidence to support these arguments. The coup took place at the opening of the new parliamentary session (Sidhu, 2020, December 4).
The farmers' demonstrations can also be linked to the continuing protests in Myanmar since the military took power. The military backed the opposition, asking that elections be held again and alleging massive bribery. The electoral commission provided no proof to back up its claims. The coup took place when a new legislative session began. The movement against the coup was the most powerful since the so-called Safran revolution in 2007 when thousands of monks rallied against military rule. Teachers, attorneys, students, bankers, and government officials are among the demonstrators. Military restrictions have been imposed, including collecting regulations (Gill, 2020, December 11). To disperse protestors, security officers deployed water cannons, rubber bullets, and live bullets increasing brutality to the citizen.
However, the protests are also receiving considerable opposition due to the current covid 19 pandemics affecting the world. The protestors do not seem to be shaken by anything, as in July this year, they were encountered with heavy rains that did not seem to bother them. With over 290,000 citizens dead due to covid 19, the farmers ought to be more careful. Although images show that only a few make an effort to cover their mouths and noses with the larger population walking around with theirs uncovered. However, the farmers warned the government that going back was not an option until the reforms were made (Fadnavis, 2020, December 1). Singh and other volunteers created a clinic for protestors and argued that they took random temperature checks and tests to ensure they were okay. He warned the government, saying to D.W. that "this is unlike any protest the world has seen before. It is not a matter of days or months; the farmers are ready to stay here for years if that's what it takes to preserve their livelihood."
Farmers attempted meetings with the government.
The government and farmers' groups agreed to meet and talk about the bills. Farmers have pushed for repeal, but the government has proved uncooperative. According to Chanda Singh, government authorities are unwilling to listen, leaving farmers with little choice except to demonstrate. The farmers then appealed to other Indian people to join them in a countrywide lockdown scheduled for December 8, 2020. The government's next meeting was scheduled for December 9, 2020. Toll plazas would be free of charge across the country. The farmers were hoping that the 6th round of meetings would result in a resolution. If not, they will continue to peacefully demonstrate until the legislation is repealed. Since the legislation was signed into law in June of this year, there have been continued demonstrations. However, the government is attempting to persuade the public that farmers may sell their products for whatever price they choose because there is no minimum sale price. Farmers, on the other hand, argue that the buyers will make the final choice. This might lead to the seller bidding as little as possible (Choudhary, December 3, 2020).
Farmers' protest receives international support.
Because it isn't only India's issue, in a world where autoeroticism, propaganda, human rights breaches, and anti-democratic behaviors are on the rise, putting an end to right-wing nationalism is in everyone's best interests. Allowing it to spiral out of control is hazardous for all of us, especially in the world's greatest democracy. India appears to be moving in response to our plan. We are in danger of losing a friend because a repressive country cannot equal an open democratic democracy. With almost 1.4 billion Indians, we're talking about a fragile country and restricts fundamental liberties for a sixth of the world's population.
Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has stated that Canada would always back peaceful protests, and Canadian legislators have expressed worry over police brutality in India. He went on to say that instead of using force, the government should engage with the farmers and utilize negotiation to reduce the chaos. U.K. legislators backed Canada's stance. The Indian administration, on the other hand, did not take kindly to this remark, calling it "unwarranted" and "misinformation" about India (Dawn, 2020). This will eventually damage the connections between the two countries. In March 2021, the farmers in India felt motivated to continue protesting for their rights, for they felt that they were not alone in the fight to remove the bills. They were thankful for Canadian supporters where some people in India felt that worldwide televisions were covering the protest more than that their own.
There are signs that the farmers' unions are fracturing, with several sections open to the idea of ending the demonstrations provided the government makes the minimum purchase price of agricultural products the minimum support price (MSP). On the other hand, other farmers' organizations backed the federal government's support for the three farm legislation passed by Parliament in September. The deadlock between the farmer's unions and the government has never been resolved through talks (Fadnavis, 2020, December 1). According to the Prime Minister, these measures may result in a "transformative change" in Indian agriculture, possibly doubling farmers' earnings someplace, somewhere, sometime. These restrictions and their long-term influence on the agricultural system must be understood in light of the government's expectations that this policy requirement will quadruple farmers' earnings and the subterranean revolution (Narayanan, 2020).
Conclusion
The current event in India protests has demonstrated that the country is no longer a democratic country since choices are taken by businessmen rather than debated in Parliament. Government is no longer for the people, by the people, and for the people. With their judgment, the Indian government demonstrated that every sector belonged to the wealthy, and the poor have no claim to their lands and production. Farmers used to be self-sufficient and worked on their terms, which is no longer the case. The demonstration has enraged the country and Indians in many places across the world. Farmers have resolved to keep protesting until the government meets their demands. The government, on the other hand, is unwilling to collaborate. The brutal means used to disperse a peaceful demonstration are unacceptable, and governments worldwide have condemned it. India is currently dealing with a significant political crisis and a worldwide epidemic. India's inhabitants have lost faith in the government, which is one of the primary reasons the nation has remained a developing country for the past 70 years, as educated and competent people leave for a better future. Indian politics has become crooked and dominated by the wealthy. Farmers have sworn to continue peaceful protests until the government agrees to their demands. Due to massive gatherings around the country, this will impact the country's economy and aggravate the epidemic due to the high dependence of the country's economy on agriculture. I hope the farmers achieve their goals, that India will be ruled by honest, educated, and motivated people in the not-too-distant future.
Works cited
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“Garg, A. (2020, December 9). What Does the MS Swaminathan Report Say About Reforms
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“Jagga, R., & Dayal, S.(2020, December 3). Another Farmer Dies at Tikri Border Protest Site. The Indian EXPRESS.”
“Mohan, D., & Mistry, J. (2020). Farm Protests Reflect India’s Worst Failing: A Broken FarmerState Contract.”
“Sidhu, J. S. (2020, December 4). Farmer Protests Questions Indian State’s Neo-Liberal Policies. Retrieved from Counter Currents.org: Farmer Protests Questions Indian State’s Neo-Liberal Policies.”
Das, byAyaskant, et al. What Does the MS Swaminathan Report Say About Reforms Proposed by Farm Laws? December 9 2020, www.the leaflet.in/what-does-the-ms-Swaminathan-report-say-about-reforms-proposed-by-farm-laws/#.
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