Farmers are agitating for repealing three farm bills and demanding talks on MSP for last over six months. Both sides, including Government and farmers are rigid on their stands and not showing any flexibility on their part. It is very unfortunate and disturbing that farmers’ movement has become political instead of being a pure movement of farmers. The farmers want repealing of the three farm bills lock, stock and barrel instead of talks on shortcomings on some of provisions of the bills in question. It is so unfortunate that many farmers have died during agitation and now demanding rehabilitation of their families and providing government jobs to next of kin of deceased. Government seems least bothered about welfare of farmers and is insensitive towards issues. The farmers movement has now become fully political as the Rakesh Tikait of Bharatiya Kissan Union has declared that they will teach the Government a lesson, talking of Mission UP and their involvement in polls.The farmers want talks without any pre-conditions and tags and want repealing of three bills, which as per them are anti-farmer. They also want guarantee on the MRP which the government failed to provide. As COVID-19 has not subsided and it is not proper that famers should proceed with their agitation as it involves threat to the precious lives of farmers, who are backbone of the economy. All the problems can be sorted out and solved by medium of the talks and therefore both the Government and farmers’ leaders should sit together for talks to end deadlock in the talks and solve their problems at the earliest and should shun their rigid stand for overall benefit of farmer community. The government should also shun its rigid stand on three controversial bills which are the bone of contention between the Government and farmers. Both government and agitating farmers should see the sanity and initiate much needed talks for overall benefit of farmer community. Both the sides should shun their egos and start talks to end deadlock so that farmers end their agitation, which has now become political. It is now an open secret that the farmers agitation has become political as Congress and other opposition parties are using farmers as cannon fodders. Farmers’ leaders should talk to the government in the interest of the farmers and end their agitation for overall welfare of farming community. The sanity should also prevail on NDA government and they should enter into much needed dialogue with the agitating farmers without wasting the time as the farmers agitation has become political and is not an agitation for the rights of the farmers any more. Thus without wasting time there should be talks between the Government and the farmers leaders so that the farmers will end their over six months of the agitation. This is irony of this country that everything is politicked in our democracy and so is the farmers issues but the agitation should now stop for the interest of farmers but it is unlikely that the farmers agitation will end so soon as both the government and the farmers leaders sticks to their rigid stands and do not budge an inch from their stated positions. Talks should be initiated at the earliest to end the six long month agitation for interest of the nation. Therefore beginning should be made to initiate the dialogue between the agitating farmers and the government. It is very unfortunate that the farmers’ leader Rakesh Tikait has said that they will discuss the further course of their action in September and will ask the voters not to vote in favour of BJP in the five States going to polls in few months from now. It clearly shows that agitation of the farmers is not a purely farmers’ agitation but it has become a political movement as it its leaders are indulging in politics and have political motives. Talks are the only way to end the agitation and give some relief to farmers but the powers are not ready for this. Thus, the government and agitating farmers should see the writing on the wall and enter into a meaning and fruitful dialogue to end six month old crises. But will this happen is a million dollar question. However, we should not lose the hope for dialogue between Government and the farmers. The need of the hour is that much over-due talks should be initiated between Government and farmers’ leaders to end the chill in talks between two sides.
Omkar Dattatray