Weekly Editor-in-Chief: Prem Kumar Chumber Contact: 001-916-947-8920 Fax: 916-238-1393 E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] VOL- 12 ISSUE- 42 December 30, 2020 California (USA) www.ambedkartimes.com www.deshdoaba.com Ideal of Equality VS Agriculture, State and Market: Scramble for Power Understanding Current Farmers Protest Prem K. Chumber Farmers’ protests, especially those of Punjab, have (1921-25), Guru ka Bagh Editor-In-Chief: www.ambedkartimes.com a distinct historical context. It is also embedded in morcha (1922), and Jaito The most common dilemma we human beings face is to what Malcolm Lyall Darling, reputed British Admin - da morcha (1924-25) add istrator and agricultural expert on Punjab, called further lustre to a heritage bring equality in our society while at the same time ‘The Punjab Peasant in Prosperity and Debt’ (the of relentless struggle struggling to acquire more and more power. Search for title of one of his seminal writings on Punjab agri - against injustice and the equality and efforts to gain, enhance and maintain power culture). The assiduous farmers of Punjab are often restoration of civil and re - clash with each other. Another equally common dilemma remembered only for their Green Revolution contri - ligious rights. The genesis is about the incompatibility between the goals nations butions. However, preceding their salutary contri - of the current agitation, butions during the massive British Canal project which has galvanised Prof (Dr.) Ronki Ram pursue within their domestic sphere and their foreign Dean (Faculty of Arts), and its accompanying process of land cultivation peasants across India, can Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chair Professor, policies. It is known to all of us that those nations which by establishing canal colonies which now fall in be traced to thesepre-in - Panjab University, Chandigarh (India) boast of the inherent culture of their respective West Punjab, were much earlier shining episodes dependence agrarian agi - E-mail: <[email protected]> Mob: +91-9878682160 democratic societies could be seen acting dictatorially such as that which arose with the entry of the Per - tations in Punjab. when they bring some other nation(s) under their control sian wheel in this region in the 16th century, as History seems to repeat itself as the farm - be it in a colonial or neo-colonial set-up. British rule in well as a turbulent history underscored by repeated ersfrom the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar India is a case in point. This dilemma of democracy at home vs dictatorship abroad has its roots in what called phenomenon of ‘nationalism’. Since the treaty of West - phalia (1648), the idea of the sovereignty of the territo - rially demarcated state boundaries divided the humanity into ‘we’ and ‘others’. ‘My nation’ as distinguished from ‘other nations’. The others were reduced almost into aliens/enemy especially in military terminology. The sharp division between the internal (domes - tic) and the external (international) often goads nations to seek equality within their sovereign territorial jurisdic - tion and pursue their power related goals in the anarchic domain of the globally contested political sphere. This di - vision between internal and external political realms has its own peculiar logic to function which is linked with the all-pervasive dilemma of ideal of quality vs scramble for power. The desire to bring equality within leads to hunt for resources and markets abroad. When this practice be - invasions through the Khyber Pass until the estab - Pradesh and Rajasthan contend with the travails of comes infectious among the powerful states it leads to lishment of the Sikh Kingdom by Maharaja Ranjit winter on the periphery of Delhi for the fear of the serious confrontation between them. The last century’s Singh in 1799.Peasants fought for their freedom loss of their hard-earned ownership of land - as is two world wars occurred within its first half were the out - and their land, first under the command of Five loudly made clear during the peaceful ongoing come of the imperialistic scramble for more and Pyare and twenty-five Singhs sent by Guru Gobind protests. It is being interpreted by some as a con - Singh along with Baba Banda Bahadur, and later tinuation of the proud tradition of peasant revolt, more power. guerrilla warfare through various Sikh Misls. During as mentioned above, bearing aloft the banner of Yet another less articulated but equally impor - this long and chequered history, the hardy peasants justice and opposition to dictatorialness of any tant factor related with the blind rush for power is the of Punjab were engaged primarily in either valor - hue.What made the farmers gather and camp at the phenomenon ofover-exploitation of the natural resources. ously fighting for the restoration and protection of borders around Delhi has been interpreted differ - It leads not only to the fast depletion of our natural re - their freedoms, or tilling their land. It was also they ently in different quarters. Contesting interpreta - sources but made their consumption poisonous too. Co - who faced brutal persecution at the hands of the tions based on politicsare being played,directly or alien forces but were never subjugated or demor - indirectly, on the implications of the three contro - rona-19 is the latest outcome of our suchuncaring and alised either under the Mogul rulers before the es - versial farming laws. While the government stead - often over-exploitative approach towards Mother Nature! tablishment of the Sikh Kingdom, nor the late fastly continues to claim that these laws are for the Power creates lust for more and more profit. Whereas, partition of the vast province of Punjab when they benefits of the farmers and the same has been re - equality asks for restraint. It demands for sharing of what left behind their rich agricultural fields through iterated during all the meetings convened by it with we have and a collective living. Power is individualistic. force of circumstances - fields which that they had various agitating farmer organisations as well as at developed with their sweat and blood from the different public forums across the country, the Equality is collaborative. Power pushes for war.Equality then barren land.The Pagri Sambal Jatta movement farmers, agricultural labourers, and people from var - leads us to peace. But for the peace to prevail we need of 1907, Neeli Bar da Morcha of 1938 (Ban - ious other directly or indirectly affected occupa - to decouple our ideal of equality from the scramble for neyUtteyAdho-addh) in West Punjab, Anti Ban - tions, continue to view them with hostility and power. Let us pray together that in the New Year 2021 dobast (land Settlement) agitation of Amritsar of almost unanimously want a complete rollback of ahead equality triumphs over power. 1938, Harsha ChhinaMoghamorchas of 1938, these impugned farming laws. “Ambedkar Times” and “Desh Doaba” forum Charik morcha of 1938, the Muzara movement The arguments given by the central govern - (PEPSU) of 1948-51, and the Khush-hasiyati Tax ment have received support in the writings of some deeply appreciate the support it received from its spon - morcha (anti betterment levy agitation) of 1959 are well-known agro-economists as well as public sors, contributors, readers and well-wishers. A Big Thank well-known Punjab peasants' agitations, and they scholars like Ashok Gulati, Gurcharan Das, Swami - You to all of you! With your support continuing and your speak volumes of their struggles for self-respect, nathan S Anklesaria Aiyar and Arvind Panagariya kind encouragement, we promise you to serve you unin - protection of land rights, and above all, their liveli - among others. However, anti-laws arguments are terruptedly with our utmost capacity in near future too. hoods. Further, the sterling contributions of peas - also -- and rather more boisterous -- being sup - ants of Punjab in the organisation and conduct of ported by a larger number of economists and pub - WISHING YOU ALL VERY HAPPY, Ghadar movement (1913-1948), Gurdwara Reform lic scholars-- Sardara Singh Johl, Arun Kumar, HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS 2021 movement (1920-25), Babbar Akali movement (Contd. on next page) www.ambedkartimes.com V0l-12 2 Issue-42 www.deshdoaba.com December 30, 2020 Agriculture, State and Market: Understanding Current Farmers Protest (Continue from page 1) tion System will also cease to exist. nelised towards the production of cision taken by the central govern - Sucha Singh Gill, RS Ghuman,Pramod This is what liberal market logic pulses and other crops as per the ment in enacting the three laws: Key Kumar, Surinder Jodhka, Gian Singh, states. In short, the three recently en - food requirements of the country. But stakeholders were not taken into con - D. Narasimha Reddy, Kamal Narayan acted laws are strongly suspected to that was not done for reasons best fidence.This gross neglect is not Kabra, R. Ramakumar,Vikas Rawal, be more in response to the above- known to the agriculture policymak - without precedent insofar as farmers Devinder Sharma and P Sainath mentioned three factors: Water deple - ers in our country. are concerned - neither were they among others -- who question the tion, lack of storage facilities, and the In the light of the above dis - taken into confidence during the very paradigm within which these pressure of liberal market forces. cussion, it will be both an injustice launch of the green revolution project laws are framed and finally enacted. Thus the farmers and their interests and sheer opportunism to force farm - in the late 1960s. The central government, as is gener - seem of no consideration at all in ers to abandon the wheat rice rota - Had the framers aware of the ally argued, insists that given the their enactment. tion crop system in the guise of depletion of groundwater and the plethora of production of wheat and Now the question arises as to freedom to sell their produce any - mindless use of pesticides and insec - rice, the APMCs and MSP-based sys - who first asked the farmers to grow where in the country wherever they ticides on the health of the soil, live - tem of sale and purchage has become wheat and rice in rotation at the cost deem fit.