FEEDING THE NATION: THE UNSUNG HEROES


If the rain disrupts our picnic yet benefits a farmer's harvest, who are we to assert that it should not rain? India, as an agrarian economy, relies heavily on its farmers for food security, economic growth, and rural development. It is impossible to overestimate the role that farmers have played in the growth and development of India, as they form the foundation of its economy.


Nevertheless, despite their significance, Indian farmers, especially the poor ones, face numerous difficulties that jeopardize their well-being and means of subsistence. The food that sustains the country is produced by these unsung heroes, who put in endless hours of labor. In the absence of farmers, India's economy would be severely impacted, and its food needs would not be met.


One of the biggest and most extensive protests in Indian history started in August 2020 with the farmers' movement. The three agriculture legislations that the Indian Parliament passed in September 2020 are the main targets of the protest. Farmers all around the nation have fiercely opposed the regulations, which were intended to liberalize the agriculture industry.


These three laws are the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act.


Tilling Against The Odds


Farmers are dubious about the benefits of these rules, despite the government's assertions that they will boost their income and give them greater flexibility in how they sell their product. Farmers fear that the minimum support price (MSP) system, which sets a minimum price for specific crops, would eventually fail as a result of the new regulations, which will allow big corporations to exploit them.


They are additionally worried that the legislation will cause them to lose their livelihoods and land. Farmers from all over the nation, especially those from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, have been demonstrating at Delhi's borders in reaction to these worries, calling for the three laws to be repealed.


Although the demonstration has been mostly peaceful, the government has responded harshly, using baton charges, water cannons, and tear gas on demonstrators. The farmers have stood firm against the government's efforts to put an end to the demonstration; many have braved inclement weather for months on the streets.


Civil society organizations, opposition parties, and regular residents have all overwhelmingly supported the demonstration. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher declared a "Tractor March" in states outside of Punjab on December 16 and a "Rail Roko" in Punjab from 12 PM to 3 PM on December 18.


Following the Haryana police stopping a "Jatha" of 101 farmers at the Shambhu border, the announcement was made. After several of them were hurt and sent to the hospital, the march was called off.


Weathering The Storm


The declining health of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been fasting to death since November 26, is another reason why the farmer unions say they had to postpone their protest. Punjab farmer activist Jagjit Singh Dallewal sat on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border post on Saturday, one day after being released from a hospital in Ludhiana, to demand that farmers' demands be complied with.


Sukhjit Singh Hardojhande, who started his fast-undo-death on November 26 and concluded it on Saturday, was succeeded by Dallewal. At the border crossing, a gathering of farmer leaders decided to break Sukhjit's fast.


It is reported that Dallewal was taken by force from the Khanauri border and brought to a hospital in Ludhiana just hours before he started his fast-unto-death on November 26. On Friday night, he was released.


In a habeas corpus petition with respect to farmer, Jagjit Singh Dallewal's alleged illegal detention, a division bench consisting of Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, JJ. directed him not to obstruct highways or cause inconvenience to the public.


This order was part of the ongoing protest against the Central government's stance on minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Jagjit Singh Dallewal was allegedly removed from the protest site at Khanauri border, adjoining Delhi, where he had planned to agitate and fast unto death until his demand for a legal right to MSP for crops was met.


He was subsequently admitted to a hospital in Ludhiana. He then moved the Court, claiming that his hospital admission was forced and amounted to a form of detention. However, he was later released and re-joined the protests.


Taking note of these developments, the Court disposed of the plea and emphasized that while peaceful protests are a fundamental right in a democracy, there must be a sense of responsibility when engaging in such protests.


When summed up, India's farmers are a great asset. They guarantee food security, sustain ecological balance, maintain rural culture and traditions, give the nation a consistent source of food, and make a substantial economic contribution. Farmers must be valued and given the 

resources and assistance they require in order to continue producing the food that nourishes the country. In a nutshell the Indian farmers' protest is a complicated matter that necessitates a sophisticated comprehension of farmers' worries and the effects of the three farm laws. 

Farmers are demanding the rules be repealed because they do not believe the government's promises that the laws will help them.The demonstration is evidence of the Indian farmers' 

tenacity and resolve in defending their rights and means of subsistence.


 Aysha Muhammed

Bafakhy Wafiyya College