Page 17 - The Indian EYE 122520

OPINION DECEMBER 25, 2020 | The Indian Eye 17

produce, and any change in country leading us to become
the system will be met with dependent on foreign supply for
full force and even violently in those items. A balance needs to
some cases. The current farm- be maintained between profits
ers agitation is just the glimpse and essential commodities. Also
of it. I remember in 1986 while removing some of the essential
training the soldiers in the out- items from the list of essential
skirts of Mhow Cantonment in commodities is a concern. In
Madhya Pradesh, I happened fact, it should be the concern of
to see a farmer loading his crop the common men rather than
of peas into the vehicle. I just Farmers.
asked him what rate he was get- What needs to be done by
ting for his crop. He told me that the Government and Farmers?
the peas in Mhow market were I personally feel that a dialogue
going for Rs 1 per kg. Next day, by both is necessary. The gov-
I went to buy vegetables in the Prime minister Narendra modi addressing during his interactions with ernment probably cannot go
market and found peas in retail farmers through video conferencing after the release of rs 18,000 crores back and repeal the law just
were being sold at Rs 4 per kg. as part of Pm Kisan samman Nidhi scheme, in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI) passed for that would not be a
I fully understand that peas are good idea for our democracy,
a perishable item and there is a but necessary provisions must
likelihood of some quantity of it be made to address the concerns
being wasted out. We also need of the farmers. The rich farmers
to include the handling charges, and middlemen who are to lose
cost of buying in bulk and then due to the new law are not go-
selling in retail and the profit ing to give up easily as they have
margin of the Aadhati, the re- the money power. The opposi-
tail price could still not be four tion parties are taking this as an
times the wholesale price. opportunity to defame the gov-
By allowing the farmers to ernment. The government must
sell their product anywhere, the deal with them firmly. While
government has tried to break we have the right to express our
the monopoly of the Mandis views and run an agitation, we
and Aadhatis. Then why are the don’t have the right to block the
farmers agitating? There are Farmers during an ongoing protest against the new farm laws, at the Tikri roads, or cause inconvenience
two categories of Farmers in our border in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI) to the public.
country. One who has big land The rich farmers if they want
holdings and is influential in ready been going on. The fear is holding of the farmers. Con- to help their brothers the small
the administrative and political being spread that corporations tract Farming is not a bad idea farmers, should create the distri-
system. For them the existing with their ability to hire big at- to start with. The problem is we bution system for farm produce
environment suits. Any chang- torneys will be able to manipu- as a nation have to ensure that that is administered and main-
es in the system dilutes their late the farmers, and eventually our farmers produce what is tained by the farmers only. It will
authority and profitability, and might take away their land. The needed within the country. We help create employment for the
hence the objection to the cur- fear is real and could happen in should not be producing for ex- village youth. The government
rent farmer’s bill. The second any capitalist society. The gov- port in order to get more mon- has already promised to create
category is the main population ernment could add a provision ey and then creating a shortage the chain of cold storage to hold
of farmers with small land hold- in the law to protect the land of essential products within the the produce for a longer dura-
ings and people who tion. The pilferage of precious
There are provisions in the food due to Rats, insects, poor
bill where corporations could live hand to mouth. they can’t afford labor to work in storage facilities and indifferent
buy as much grain as they like. their fields and do most of the work themselves. such attitude of the government ser-
This must be limited otherwise vants in the food industry who
it might result in hoarding by farmers will be benefited by the new law. the readers get their salary in time and have
the big corporations resulting must understand that November December is the wheat no skin in the game needs to
in price manipulation. So, the be addressed intelligently. The
Farmers are right in their de- sowing season in the country. this is also the season of farmers reforms are not a prob-
mand for a guarantee within the harvesting the sugarcane crop. How could a poor farmer lem that can be discussed or
law about MSP and a protection solved in a few paragraphs. The
against hoarding and price ma- leave his work and be in Delhi. only those farmers who idea of this article was to bring
nipulation by big corporations. could afford labor to work in their field would be able some interesting facts of the is-
The other issue that is be- sue to the public and pay tribute
ing talked about is “Contract to afford their absence from the village in this season. to the person who really was a
Farming”. I think this has al- Kisan Leader.

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