Popular resistance to undeclared Emergency// Ghazipur Border: Rakesh Tikait के लिए यूपी -हरियाणा से रातों रात आ गए किसान
NB: After the violent events on Republic Day, the central and UP governments have launched a massive drive to arrest farmer leaders and push out the gatherings at the Ghazipur border. Six journalists and a Congress MP have been charged with sedition. The Chief Minister of Delhi has claimed that police are framing people, whilst the real culprits are going scot-free. There are widespread allegations that the violence on January 26 was a stage-managed affair, with one of the chief actors in the drama being identified as someone close to the BJP.
Meanwhile overnight thousands of peasants from as far was Uttarakhand and including Haryana and Punjab have rallied to the cause and come to the Ghazipur border to support and defend their leaders and their cause. Here is an extended report:
Ghazipur Border: Rakesh Tikait के लिए यूपी -हरियाणा से रातों रात आ गए किसान
Recent events make it clear that the government, having pushed through a controversial set of bills which are arguably unconstitutional (because agriculture is a state subject), is refusing to admit it acted in haste, has kept corporate interests in mind rather than those of Indian peasants; and continues to refuse to withdraw these unpopular bills and redesign a plan for the health of Indian agriculture. To make matters worse, it has defamed the farmers movement via a compliant media. Various trolls on social media have tried to communalise it by using labels like anti-national, Khalistani etc.
For those who were wondering what happened to the Indian people's love for democracy, mutual respect and spontaneous solidarity across communities, all we need to do is to follow and understand the ongoing kisan movement. The government and the Sangh Parivar have only one strategy of rule - communal politics plus repression. They have undermined democracy, demonised dissent as 'anti-national' and employed a veritable army of trolls to defame anyone who criticises the Modi government. And the justice system is failing in its responsibility to curb the misuse of authority - people are in jail without evidence; and we do not know where we can find justice. There is blatant impunity for the ideological allies of the government, regardless of what they do.
India is living through an undeclared emergency. The struggling farmers are not only the backbone of Indian agriculture, but today are in the forefront of defending our democracy. I salute them. As long as they remain non-violent and persistent in the face of lies, repression and propaganda, truth and ahimsa will win out in the end. Tomorrow is Gandhiji's 72nd death anniversary. The Mahatma, who always fought for India's kisans, would be proud of them.
Freedom-loving Indians and democratic-minded people across the world should think about our kisans and support them. DS
More commentary on the crisis in Indian agriculture and indeed in the Indian polity as a whole may be read here:
Discussion on Indian Agriculture and the ongoing Kisan agitation
Navsharan Singh: A million reasons to march
Jairus Banaji on the Indian corporate strategy of subordinating farm households and family labor
STATE OF RURAL AND AGRARIAN INDIA REPORT 2020. By the Network of Rural and Agrariani Studies
Jairus Banaji on the Indian corporatist strategy of subordinating farm households and family labor
Navsharan Singh: A million reasons to march
Discussion on Indian Agriculture and the ongoing Kisan agitation
Amit Bhaduri: Faces in mirror held up by farmers’ protest
Can Capitalism and Democracy Coexist?
Amandeep Sandhu on Arthiyas - extract from PANJAB: Journeys Through Fault Lines
Ravinder Kaur: Has Modi finally met his match in India's farmers?
Indian Farmers' Protest - Work in progress videos
STATE OF RURAL AND AGRARIAN INDIA REPORT 2020. By the Network of Rural and Agrarian Studies
Munawar Faruqui's Imprisonment a 'Flagrant Disregard of Fundamental Freedoms': PUDR
