When Vaisakhi Colored The #FarmersProtest
The festival celebrating the end of the harvest season, Vaisakhi reminds us once again of the plight of the Indian farmers who continue to protest near Delhi against the farm laws that the Indian government just refuses to amend.
The #FarmersProtest definitely put a dampener on the usual celebrations that mark one of the major festivals celebrated by the agricultural community. But the fight for their rights is way more important to these people who continue to protest since September last year. Inkquisitive was on point as he wrote, “Vaisakhi is not quite the same this year for many. Especially for those farmers on the frontlines continuously waking each morning to stand for their well-being.”
View this post on Instagram
The need to keep the morale high amongst the protesting farmers led to the organization of small camps within the protest site to celebrate the festival as they would normally do. While the women donned yellow dupattas (as is the norm) while conducting kirtans, arenas were created for physical activities by the men involved on the ground. The day had a festive fervor in the backdrop of a political fight that still sees no solution.
View this post on Instagram
India’s fragmented farmer politics has not only weakened the agrarian movement but has also made space for its manipulation by governments to their advantage. Governments have gotten away by providing only piecemeal solutions to pressing farmer problems, whether these relate to indebtedness driving tillers to take their own lives or inefficiencies of the market structure. A short-sighted approach to dealing with agrarian issues based on regional self-interests has also meant that the bargaining power of farmer unions has weakened. While the current agitation may eventually be successful, a sustainable solution to farm distress requires a unified movement based on universal principles that include diverse interest groups. Only that can ensure better returns on farming and strong support from the government.
