The Farmer’s Protest in India

Amanpreet (2300583)

University Canada West

POLI 102: Politics & Government

Lozjanin, Addie

September 4, 2023
 The Farmer’s Protest in India

India, the largest democracy in the world, is no stranger to protests and demonstrations,

which represent the nation's dynamic political environment (Behl, 2022). The farmers' protest,

which started in late 2020 and lasted into 2021 massive movement, primarily concentrated in the

northern states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, was one of the biggest and longest

protests in recent memory (Reuters, 2022). Recent government policies and political events have

played a crucial role in the farmer protest. These demonstrations were mainly focused on the

divisive farm legislation put forth by the government, and have sparked a national discussion

about agricultural reforms, governmental policies, and the impact of politics on the lives of

millions of farmers.

Indian agriculture has historically struggled with problems like land fragmentation, a

lack of modernization, and low farmer incomes. Over the years, governments at the federal and

state levels have attempted a variety of programs to address these problems, with varying

degrees of success. However, because of falling crop prices, escalating debt, and the broader

agricultural crisis, resentment among farmers had been building for years. The spark that ignited

the farmer’s protest was the adoption of three agricultural reform laws by the Indian Parliament

in September 2020 which was related to the pricing, sale, and storage of farm products —the

Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Farmers

(Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, the Farm Services Act, and the

Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act (Behl, 2022). These regulations, according to the

government and its supporters, were designed to liberalize the agricultural industry by enabling

farmers to sell their products directly to consumers and agribusinesses, potentially increasing
their income (Reuters, 2022). Critics, including the farmers who were in protest, brought up

several issues.

According to the farmers these rules might result in the elimination of the conventional

Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis, which provided farmers with a

guarantee of minimum support prices (MSP) for their commodities (Reuters, 2022). Farmers

were feared to be exploitable by companies without MSP guarantees. In addition, many farmers

were afraid that they would have no legal options available to them in the event of a dispute with

a private buyer (Behl, 2022). Third, the modification to the Essential Commodities Act brought

up issues with possible stockpiling and price manipulation by big businesses. However, the

government led by Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) said that these measures would modernize

agriculture, enhance farmer incomes, and advance rural development (Behl, 2022). The Farmers'

Protest quickly developed into a political topic as opposition parties seized on the farmers'

unhappiness. Political figures, particularly from regional parties, offered their support to the

farmers who were in a state of protest, using the movement as an opportunity for criticizing the

current administration. This polarization of the protest heightened public conversation and turned

it into a major political issue in India. The demonstration thus turned into a test of the

government's capability to deal with dissension and preserve its electoral support in rural areas.

There has been disagreement about the government's approach to the Farmers' Protest.

It started with a firm attitude, characterizing the protests as ignorant and highlighting the

advantages of the farm regulations. It even came under fire for putting up barriers at protest areas

and shutting off the internet to supress protesters (Behl, 2022). The administration tried to start

talks with the farmers' unions as the demonstration gained momentum. There were several

rounds of negotiations, but there was no progress (Reuters, 2022). While the administration
offered to make changes, the protesters sought a total repeal of the legislation. The government's

desire to address the concerns of the farmers and its capacity to strike a balance between public

opinion and policy improvements were both called into doubt by this impasse. Moreover, there

was a lot of national and international media coverage of the Farmers' Protest. Information was

widely disseminated and support for the farmers was energized in large part because to social

media. Celebrities, activists, and public figures from all over the world showed support for the

demonstrators, making the problem one of human rights concern on a global scale. The protest's

globalization increased the amount of pressure on the Indian government to give in to the

farmers' demands. In the era of digital media, it also emphasized the growing connection

between domestic politics and international public opinion.

Governmental policy changed because of the Farmers' Protest. The government

announced that it planned to reexamine the farm laws in November 2020 by formally suspending

their application and accepted the farmers demand (Behl, 2022). The controversial restrictions

were subsequently repealed in September 2021, which represented a huge success for the farmers

who had been in protest. The federal government also committed to form a committee of farmers

and government representatives to figure out how to guarantee Minimum Support Prices (MSP),

as the established prices are known, for all agricultural products (Reuters, 2022). To put an end to

the demonstration and win back the faith of the farming sector, the government strategically

decided to remove the laws. It demonstrated how much the administration valued rural people'

electoral contributions and how crucial it was to address their issues.

The Farmers' Protest had several important effects on Indian politics and government. It

emphasized how crucial consensus-building and consultation are when formulating policies.

Lack of trust and widespread criticism resulted from the government's decision to pass the
agriculture laws without consulting stakeholders sufficiently (Behl, 2022). This incident

emphasizes the importance of inclusive decision-making procedures and serves as a lesson for

future policy initiatives. The government must consider the social and economic consequences of

its policies and make sure that they do not widen already-existing inequities.

In Conclusion, Politics, governmental initiatives, and the livelihoods of millions of

farmers all interacted intricately during India's Farmers' Protest. It began as a reaction to divisive

farm policies and developed into a national movement with major consequences for politics. The

demonstration highlighted the significance of attending to rural communities' problems and

showed the effect that people’s action has on governmental decisions. While the government's

decision to abolish the farm rules signaled a turning point in the protest, it also underscored the

difficulties associated with changing policy in a multicultural and democratic country like India.

The Farmers' Protest serves as a reminder that politics and government activities are intricately

linked to the desires and demands of the citizens they serve, especially in a nation where

agriculture is so important.
 References

Behl, N. (2022). India’s Farmers’ Protest: An inclusive vision of Indian democracy. American

Political Science Review, 1-6. doi:10.1017/S0003055422000156

Reuters. (2022, August 22). Thousands of Indian farmers return to New Delhi in fresh protests.

CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/22/india/india-farmers-protests-return-delhi-intl-

hnk/index.html

Rom, M. C., Hidaka, M., & Walker, R. B. (2022). Introduction to Political Science [Open

Textbook Library]. OpenStax. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/1179