Farmers protesting against the new farm laws say they are almost free for a month and can prolong the ongoing agitation. However, some farmers are still busy harvesting potato and cauliflower crops. Wheat fields are also being irrigated.
The protesting farmers are now working on a changed strategy. Younger agitators are likely to replace elder protesters. Leaders say the senior citizens were given command initially as the younger lot could easily lose temper while facing police and government authorities.
Money, medicines and ration are being collected to keep the supplies going for the protesters. Farmers are joining the protests in rotation. The idea is to boost the morale of the protesters and to add aggression to their agitation.
The protest by farmers may last long. Out of a total 31 Punjab farmer unions, 13 belong to communist parties, who want to prolong the fight. They are against privatisation of agriculture and corporate dealing directly with the farmers, as provided in the farm laws. The communists are not ready to budge and have pushed in other demands in their protest to complicate the fight.
POLITICS AND BEYOND
While there are a number of political unions affiliated to the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Left are fighting a political battle for face saving, some of the non-political fronts such as the Bhartiya Kisan Union seek an early resolution and even ready for suitable amendments in the new farm laws.
Experts are of the view that diversification of agriculture is needed to reduce dependability on the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Farmer unions have different ideologies which may divide the protesters in days to come.
"Farmer unions have different ideologies which will lead to clash of opinions and can lead to confusion. The poor farmers should get an assured income and there should be a check on the privatisation of agriculture as it can flourish agriculture but wipe out the agriculturists,” said Dr Pramod Kumar, director of the Institute For Development and Communication, Chandigarh.
WHAT DO FARMERS SAY?
However, there is another aspect in the protest against the farm laws. Amrik Singh,75, is a farmer, who had sent his grandson to join the protests. He helped the farmer unions with money and other goods. Amrik Singh said, “The middlemen and money lenders have stopped lending money to farmers after the new laws were introduced.”
Man Singh, another farmer, said, “We are free for a month. We have planned a six-month-long fight. Young protesters will replace oldies.”
Surinder Singh, a farmer unhappy with the farm laws, said, “This is the biggest ever farmers’ protest which will be fought peacefully despite the fact that the government is arrogant.”
Though some unions have insisted on complete rollback of the farm laws, farmers may be willing to go back to their fields if they get an assurance on the MSP and procurement. “We will call off the protest once our genuine demands of the MSP and assured procurement are met through a written assurance.”
Master Kuldeep Singh, a farmer, said, “We want an early resolution. The government never consulted us before drafting the laws.