4th Dec 2020 11:12:PM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

There was a clear hint on Thursday that the farmers who have now thronged the national capital in large numbers and are increasing in volume with every passing hour are not going to accept the ‘alternate solutions’ as put forward by the Central government, except for a complete revocation of the three contentious farm laws. The uncompromising stand became more solid on Friday as they announced an extreme step, which is a nationwide shutdown on Tuesday, December 8. As a part of the activities on the said day, reportedly, the farmers have planned to block all roads leading to Delhi along with occupying all highway toll gates across the country to prevent collection of toll taxes. 

While there are views and counter views regarding the usefulness or harmfulness of the three laws, it needs to be said remaining within the parameter of fair criticism that the situation has been allowed to take the shape of a major social disorder which is very much avoidable. It's  unfathomable why at a time when the Covid battle has reached a critical juncture, a chaos in the making is being allowed to escalate. Sentiment of the farmers must be understood. Their claims are not wild and if acceded, no hell will break loose.

The steadfast stand taken by the leaders of the 40 farmers’ unions and bodies in Thursday’s meeting, the 4th so far, was evident from their rejection of the lunch offered by the Central government. Reportedly, the marathon meeting which lasted for more than six hours was held amid a congenial atmosphere. But that it has been hardly result-giving is apparent as the farmers’ representatives have straight away rejected the amendment route proposed by the Centre. Calling them ‘cosmetic’,  they have categorically conveyed that a full repeal of the laws and nothing less. There is a next round of meeting on Saturday and the bandh call just a day before is an ample suggestion that there will be no dilution of this stand. The apprehensions aired by the farmers’, initially from Punjab and subsequently joined in hordes by their peers from various states, including the BJP-ruled ones hover around the anticipation that the decades-old existing system under which grains that the government procured from them at guaranteed prices (read MSPs) will be done away with, leaving them at the mercy of private buyers who are obviously the financially powerful corporates. Although the government is trying hard to convince the warring farmers about the long-term efficacies, their complexities, particularly the legal language used in them and their varied interpretations is the single-most obstacle in trust-building efforts.

If Saturday’s talks come out fruitful, it will be better for the country. Else, the chaos will enlarge further. But, is it totally unavoidable?


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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