Non-farmers play a part in farm agitation too

These prominent faces also have espoused the cause of cultivators over the years and are in the farmers’ fight purely out of a sense of activism.

They may not be directly engaged in farming themselves, but have emerged as prominent faces in the movement against three farm laws enacted by the government in September to open up trade in agriculture. They also have espoused the cause of cultivators over the years and are in the farmers’ fight purely out of a sense of activism.

Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav speaks to the media as he arrives for a meeting with farmer leaders near the Singhu Border where farmers are protesting against the new farm laws on Wednesday. (ANI)

Take for instance Yogendra Yadav of Swaraj India, who has been an activist and election expert and has dabbled in politics. On Saturday, Yadav was in Rajasthan to mobilise farmers of the state to join the protest.

“I am here at the Rajasthan side of the border with Haryana to oversee arrangements for our programme to demonstrate on the Delhi-Jaipur highway. Thousands of more farmers will join, now that the wedding season and Rajasthan panchayat polls are over,” Yadav told HT.

The laws allow businesses to freely trade farm produce outside the government-controlled mandi system, permit private traders to stockpile large quantities of essential commodities for future sales and lay down new rules for contract farming. Farmers fear the reforms could leave them at the mercy of private buyers.

The solution to the protest at Delhi’s borders, where thousands have massed for almost three weeks, lies in repealing the laws, Yadav said, adding: “Agriculture needs reforms, but these are reforms that farmers have not sought.”

Activist Kavitha Kuruganti, associated with the Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA), is equally firm that the laws are aimed more at promoting corporate interests. “The crux of the matter is that these laws are centered around big corporations, against the interests of farmers and consumers, both,” she said.

Kiranjeet Singh Sekhon of the Kul Hind Kisan Federation said: “We demand repeal of anti-farmer laws,” adding, “All farmer unions have decided that we will fight till these farm laws are scrapped.”

Jagmohan Singh, state general secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union’s Dakaunda faction, claims that he has joined the farmers’ movement because the “new agricultural laws will ruin Punjab’s farmers and {farm} labourers.”

“I want to stand by the working class as these laws have been made for the benefit of corporate houses,” he said.