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he discourse of
General Elections
2019 kick-started
striking the right
T chord with major-
ity of voters by addressing
the agricultural distress and
unemployment. These are
the two major issues that re-
quire immediate attention to
achieve growth in real terms.
When the political parties
were gearing up to devise
new strategies to muster votes
in 2019 Lok Sabha Elections,
farmers had started becoming
more organised, consolidated
and were able to create an
impact on the think-tanks of
the different political parties.
The rallies and protests by
the farmers’ unions putting a
united front like AIKSCC (All
India Kisan Sangharsh Coor-
dinating Committee), a joint
platform of about 200 farm
organisations across India formed in • Poor condition There are landless farmers and
June 2017, gave a big boost to the farm- Together agricultural labourers living below poverty line
ers’ movement in post- liberalised India.
This was reinforced by the 180-kilometer
foot march by thousands of Maharashtra they out the country sparked the hope of
farmers in March 2018 that converged in revival of agriculture. The coverage
Mumbai. The protests by farmers in dif- to farmers’ unrest by the national and
ferent parts of India like Uttar Pradesh, regional media and consequent switch
Punjab and other states sent a timely stand of political narrative from communal
message to the power hungry politicians politics to fundamental issue of liveli-
that there is an urgent need to reform the hood of people galvanised the hope
agriculture sector. of an election battle that would be
While the major demands of farmers for farm worthwhile.
Come February 14, and the whole nar-
in state-level protests were immediate rative acquired a different swathe. The
cultural scientists and Father of Green reforms ruling NDA alliance and Prime Minister
relief from debt and implementation
of reports of National Commission for
Modi, used the Balakot air Strikes carried
Farmers headed by the renowned agri-
Revolution in India, M .S. Swaminathan; out by the Indian Air Force after the Pul-
wama terrorist attack on CRPF soldiers
the AIKSCC raised the demand for a spe- as a ploy to reverberate the nationalist
cial session of Parliament to discuss and Farmers have become more sentiments among the electorates. At
pass two Kisan Mukti Bills: (i) The Farm- organised and consolidated to the election meetings and on the social
ers’ Freedom from Indebtedness Bill (ii) media, the BJP top leaders are illustrating
The farmers’ Right to Guaranteed Remu- create an impact on the think- it as a commendable achievement of the
nerative Minimum Support Prices for tanks of the different political Narendra Modi Government.
Agricultural Commodities Bill, 2018. parties that are seeking votes in There is no gainsaying the fact that
These two bills were introduced in the national security of the country is
Parliament as Private Member Bills. The 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, writes paramount, but at the same time, welfare
massive protests by the farmers through- komal amit gera of the common man is also important.

Tehelka / 15 may 2019 36 www.Tehelka.com