Farmers' protest in MP: Unrest Spreads

Farmers in the western Indian state of Maharashtra have temporarily ended a protest after the state government promised to write off their loans.

Since June 1 farmers in western Madhya Pradesh were protesting demanding for higher minimum support prices for their produce, among others. Last week least five farmers were killed in violence during their agitation in Mandsaur, PM Narendra Modi met his Cabinet colleagues in New Delhi today to discuss the ongoing farmers protest in Madhya Pradesh. The protest took a break only on 11 June 2017.

Modi met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Nitin Gadkari and others after the regular Cabinet meeting to discuss the situation in Madhya Pradesh as it continues to remain tense.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier refused to announce a complete reversal of loans for every farmer, citing the state's critical debt situation. But he agreed on Sunday "in principle" to a loan waiver for all sections of farmers, adding that a committee would be formed to decide on specific terms.

The protest

Protestors pelted a police force with stones, injuring eight cops including two police station in-charges. The injured were admitted to the critical care unit at a private hospital in the city.

Farmers blocked highways and roads as disrupted traffic resulted in jams. Heavy stone pelting incidents were reported in Chandukhedi area.

Protestors set a power grid in Dattotar Mandi at Maksi road on fire. Government and fire brigade vehicles were torched in the afternoon and several police vehicles were vandalised.

Farmers said their decision to call off the protest was a temporary move. They said if no satisfactory decision is taken (on the criterion for loan waiver) by 25 July, their protest will start again.

Analysis

The BJP government is probably realising that it is easier to make shallow promises about doubling farmers' incomes than to deliver on it and that's because it's not something any central government can deliver on its own; state governments need to be on board as well.

And the opposition is not realising that merely ranting about the callousness showed by the government and repeating demands for loan waivers and procurement price hikes is not the solution.

The violent agitations in Madhya Pradesh have been shocking because only few months earlier, the state was being toasted for its stupendous performance on the agriculture front — almost 14 percent annual growth for the past five years.

Farmers mainly suffered a major setback due demonetization, triggering a nationwide cash crunch and a collapse in the demand for vegetables in wholesale markets.

The northern state of Uttar Pradesh and the southern state of Telangana have already announced loan waivers for farmers.

Assessment

India is largely an agricultural country. Hence the country’s prosperity depends largely on the improvement of agriculture. This can be done if the condition of the farmers can be improved. The farmers are unfortunately considered as nothing more than a political plaything. Political parties of all hues should come together and work out short term and long term solutions. And major decisions like demonetization, should be taken keeping farmers in mind hereafter.