Agricultural reforms: Cui Bono?

There is an old saying in English that “if you ate today, thank a farmer. If you ate in peace, thank a soldier.” Yet, in these pandemic induced times of immense hardship, and extreme danger with the Chinese hordes knocking at the gates, we find ourselves unwilling spectators to a Government, that by its actions, shows utter contempt and disdain for its farmers and soldiers alike. A far cry from the dark and difficult days of 1965, when facing food shortages and war, our second Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, exhorted the nation with that endearing and popular slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan.”

Much has already been written about this government’s treatment of soldiers. It is now well known that it has never lost an opportunity to denigrate or disparage the military, be it with regard to the 7 th CPC, OROP or Non Functional Upgrade. Even reducing their status vis-a-vis other central government services and forcing them to pick up garbage from tourist sites in the Himalayas. It has also gone so far as to order Police and CAPF lackeys to beat up veterans and their families, including some who had fought in the 1962 Sino-Indian Conflict, sitting in peaceful protest against the Prime Minister’s OROP travesty. Off course, probably the unkindest cut has been the appointment of General Bipin Rawat to the post of Chief of Defence Staff. Seen by many as a Quisling of the worst kind who has attempted to disembowel the military from within, probably in the hope he would be appropriately rewarded by his political mentors. Ironical, given the fact that he is a second generation Gorkha Regiment officer, an institution that has been recognized for its strict and unswerving adherence to and respect for military customs and traditions.

We are also in the midst of a widespread farmer agitation against three contentious agriculture bills that have recently received Presidential approval . They are the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act. Essentially these are aimed at allowing farmers to sell their produce outside state run APMC Mandis, enter into contracts with private players and remove commodities like cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities, resulting in an end to the imposition of stock-holding limits. While the Government claims that these Acts will transform agriculture and draw in much needed private investment in strengthening infrastructure and supply chains, the fact of the matter is that it will be at the cost of state revenue earned from Mandi Fees as these are likely to become increasingly defunct. From the farmers point of view the increasing redundancy of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) as is likely from such a move will undoubtedly hinder government procurement as well as impact the Minimum Sale Price (MSP) leaving them open to exploitation by corporates.

Moreover, there is a constitutional question involved as well because these Acts impinge on the federal structure that our Constitution provides for, as agriculture is on the State List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution and thus outside Parliament’s jurisdiction. However, the most disturbing aspect of these Acts is that there are Sections incorporated within them that take away the right of citizens to approach the Courts to seek legal recourse in the event of a dispute, allowing them to only seek resolution through the government hierarchy. The latter is clearly an abject disregard of our democratic processes and a blot on our democracy.

Much of what is happening around us can be best explained by that very succinct and appropriate Latin phrase Cui Bono. It translates to mean “to whom is it a benefit” and is commonly used to suggest the high probability that those responsible for a certain event are the ones who stand to gain from it. So the simple question that we need to ask ourselves is who benefits with the passage of these Acts? Obviously, not the farmers, because if it was truly in their favour, they simply would not be on the outskirts of Delhi braving police batons and water cannons. To blame it on their lack of either understanding or on having been instigated by opposition politicians, as has been suggested by Mr. Modi and some of his Ministers, is simply ludicrous and suggests an infantile mindset lacking empathy, intent on forcing through its own agenda. After all, if it was just a question of correcting misconceptions, farmers could well have been invited for a dialogue well before they were forced to launch street protests.

There have also been allegations made by the Government that anti-national elements, mainly Khalistanis and Maoists, have infiltrated these protests and are attempting to steer them towards violent confrontation. While such a possibility cannot be ruled out, given the fact that we have seen attempts to destroy our internal cohesion by inimical alien powers over the years, there is also truth in the fact that this Government has been guilty of criminalising dissent. None the less, it must be added that it would be to the benefit of the participating farmers unions to weed out individuals fomenting violence and rebellion at the earliest, if such attempts have been noticed, if they are to preserve the sympathy of the average citizen for their cause.

Finally, while the Prime Minister claims his intentions are as pure as the sacred Ganges, many of his actions belie his words. There can be no doubt that reforms within our agricultural sector are an urgent necessity, if we are to overcome rural distress and in the interest of development. Neither a confrontational approach nor an attempt at prevarication will get this government very far. It needs to be transparent and be willing to take the necessary steps required so that the misgivings that have been raised against these Acts by farmers and others are appropriately addressed.