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Why angry farmers protesting in Delhi could spell trouble for BJP

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Coming in the midst of the ongoing assembly polls, and just months before Lok Sabha elections, farmers’ protest is an imagery Modi govt can ill-afford.

New Delhi: Thousands of irate farmers from across the country are camping in the national capital to register their protest and press for their demands — an optic that is giving the ruling BJP a fresh reason to be anxious given its potential impact on the party’s political and electoral fortunes.

Coming in the midst of the ongoing assembly polls in key states, and just months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, farmers gathering in the capital to agitate is an imagery the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government can ill-afford.

The protest — held for the second time in a span of two months — comes at a time when the PM is in Argentina to attend the G-20 summit.

The farmers have been demanding, among other things, debt relief and remunerative prices for their produce.

Reason for worry

Sources in the BJP say the “party is indeed worried about this fresh trouble in a crucial election year, but will adopt a wait and watch approach”.

The rising anger of the agrarian community — electorally significant and influential — across different parts of the country has consistently been a cause of concern for the ruling BJP at the Centre, as well as in states where it is in power and where this anger has been most defined.

In Modi’s home state Gujarat, for instance, irked farmers dented the BJP’s electoral outcome, leading to a loss of seats in some rural areas.

In the current assembly polls, angry peasants in Madhya Pradesh — where an agitation had turned violent last year in Mandsaur — are perhaps the single biggest worry for the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government which is seeking a fourth term in power.

In Rajasthan, angry farmers are adding to the woes of an already embattled BJP. Farmers in Chhattisgarh aren’t any happier either.


Also read: Farmers’ protest is an opportunity for the opposition, could be worrisome for Modi


Farm distress a real issue, agrees BJP

In Maharashtra, where the BJP heads a coalition government, a massive farmers’ stir in March captured headlines — with farmers from across the state marching on foot to Mumbai for days. It was called off after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis agreed to most of their demands.

“The worry about anger among farmers and disappointment with us is real. This is why the government has tried to take a number of steps to quell this anger and reach out to them,” said a BJP leader, who did not wish to be identified.

“But every few months, if a major farmer protest erupts, it has the potential of hurting us,” the BJP leader added.

The Modi government has very consciously tried to move away from a pro-capitalist, pro-rich image to a farmer-friendly and pro-rural one. As part of its outreach, the Modi government hiked the MSP of certain crops to 1.5 times the production cost earlier this year, fulfilling the promise the BJP had made as part of its 2014 campaign.

However, while with his constant emphasis on welfare initiatives, PM Modi may have to an extent succeeded in building a pro-poor connect, the farmer continues to remain unsatisfied.

The protest in the capital early October led to unruly scenes after farmers were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, forcing Home Minister Rajnath Singh to intervene and diffuse the crisis.


Also read: Modi raj is the most anti-farmer regime in India’s history


An opportunity for Congress?

The Congress, meanwhile, seems to have latched on to this vulnerability of the BJP, doing all it can to project itself as a party that stands with farmers.

Tellingly, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been promising a loan waiver within 10 days if voted to power in all three states where the BJP is fighting anti-incumbency — Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. All opposition politicians claim that BJP is anti farmer. Some leaders of farmers claim that BJP pampers urban voters at cost of farmers. But is that the truth? Let me explain. As an urban areas’ representative question that comes to my mind is this: could problems of big farmers (who may own 10 or more hectares of fertile land) be same as those of small farmers? How can all farmers be classified in just one category? I think there will be those who own irrigated land and those who depend on monsoon rain. Then there will be small/medium and large farmers. There can be many categories. Point is that each category has own peculiar problems, some of which are related to droughts, excess or untimely rains, some are market related and some are created by inept handling of farm issues.
    Is it not time that we deal with problems of small farmers who own less than two hectares of land on a priority basis? When farmers’ problems are discussed, often there is a mention of un-remunerative prices for food grains, pulses, vegetables and fruits. All politicians claim that agriculture is a loss-making activity today. Ironically, all politicians who claim that farming is loss-making activity are against sale of agricultural land to non-farmers! Thus, there is hypocrisy and double standards on this subject.
    If small farmers (who own less than two hectares of land) face difficulties on account of natural disasters like drought or untimely rain and need financial support it is our Central & State governments’ responsibility to mitigate them. In this connection I believe citizens living in metros, cities, towns etc will gladly pay a special tax/surcharge on income tax, proceeds of which tax can go to needy farmers’ bank accounts. But my question is this: how many politicians are really concerned about these farmers?

  2. This problem goes beyond politics. For ten years, Shri Sharad Pawar, deeply knowledgeable, was Krishi Mantri and Maharashtra continued to lead the country in farmer suicides. Farm loan waivers, reservation for dominant castes will barely scratch the surface. A loss in Madhya Pradesh will be a dipstick for the national election.

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