Indian Farmers’ Protest Largest in World History!

While the government continues to deny the magnanimity of the farmers’ protest, it is the largest protest in world history! Will the government take back the three farm laws?

From August 9, 2020, the farmers have been asking for the revocation of the passing of three Farm Bills by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

The intensified outcry against the three farm bills is due to the fears the farmers have that:

1. The Bills will eliminate the APMC system (Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee) and their products would fall directly into the hands of big corporates.  Under this bill, the trade outside the APMC Mandis is unregulated.
2. There is no guarantee of MSP (Minimum Support Prices) when the bill is controlled by cooperates and will always fluctuate.
3. Under this law, it is not mandatory for a company to make a written contract with the farmer for any contract farming. So, even if the company violates the terms of the contract, the farmer cannot prove it. Farmers will be forced to bribe their way out of things. If no money, they fear their lands will be taken. Storage will destroy crops so forced to sell quickly at higher rates.
4. These laws allow long storage of food, which would eventually spoil, thus farmers would have to sell them at throwaway prices.
5. The rooting fear is the farmers will become slaves to the corporates, many poorer farmers will be forced to sell lands and give up farming if they cannot keep up with the demands of the corporates, for the laws favor the corporates over the farmers.  It has been proven that while government agencies will take better care of the people, most corporates fleece the common citizen to maintain their opulent lifestyles.

Eventually, with the stipulations of the laws being under cooperates who seek to make the maximum profit, food prices may go up for everyone, so food costs would ultimately affect everyone.  Itis not only the cost of food, but all goods and commodities will go up as everything is invariably interconnected in trade.

Notwithstanding these demands of revoking the farm laws, the government refuses to withdraw them despite massive pan India protests. Negating its magnitude with certain rumors spread that only a few farmers are opposing the laws, and blaming the opposition is making the situation worse.

Meena Harris comparing world’s oldest with the largest democracy

In the words of Meena Harris, New York Times bestselling author of Ambitious Girl, “It’s no coincidence that the world’s oldest democracy was attacked not even a month ago, and as we speak, the most populous democracy is under assault. This is related. We ALL should be outraged by India’s internet shutdowns and paramilitary violence against farmer protesters.” (sic)

“It’s no coincidence that the world’s oldest democracy was attacked not even a month ago, and as we speak, the most populous democracy is under assault. This is related. We ALL should be outraged by India’s internet shutdowns and paramilitary violence against farmer protesters.” (sic)

Meena Harris

Should the government be waking up to resolve this issue when the world is waking up to the farmers’ distress?  No one can deny it is the largest protest in world history.