In the first major public agitation against the BJP-led government at the Centre, thousands of farmers from several states are expected to converge on Delhi’s historic Jantar Mantar today to stage protest against the land ordinance of the Centre. Led by civil society activist and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, they will demand the withdrawal of anti-farmer changes to the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 brought in through the ordinance.
Hazare, after arriving Delhi from Ralegan Sidhi, first visited Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial at Raj Ghat. He later joined the farmers’ rally after that.
“Annaji will lead this farmers’ movement in the morning at Jantar Mantar against the Central government’s ordinance. Farmers have come from Maharashtra, Gujarat and other states to Delhi in large numbers,” said Datta Awari, assistant to Anna Hazare, who’s already in Delhi, with a group of farmers.
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The first day of the rally shall have no participation of political parties, except the farmers and their unions from states, as Hazare had wished. On the February 24, political parties like the Left and the Congress, and political-affiliated farmers’ unions would join the rally.
“The first day rally is purely non-political. We’ll try to ensure that the BJP government withdraws this ordinance. If the government tries to buy time, we’ll keep the agitation alive. This three-day rally is a token, but if farmers are unheard, we would resort to aggressive agitation,” said Lt Col (retd) SP Singh of Bhoomi Adhigrahan Adhyadesh Pratirodh Aandolan, an umbrella organization of farmers’ unions.
According to economic experts, the previous UPA government in a bid to give farmers and other land-dependents a voice and due share as well as meet the needs of industry – came up with a compromise – which was formulated as ‘Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013’.
“The Act has several lacunae and weaknesses. The UPA’s title notwithstanding, essentially replaced a colonial Act with a neo-liberal one. But, the Modi government’s Ordinance overturns all progressive gains in the 2013 law. The amendment to the Act must be seen as part of a more vigorous attack on people’s resources in order to dispossess the direct producers. The growth model itself is predicated upon transfer of monetary and natural resources to the private sector,” said economist Smita Gupta, an independent expert on land rights.
The farmers’ movement has already gained moment beyond Delhi, as the farmers and organizations at state-level have started agitations.
The Haryana unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) under the leadership of the party’s senior leader and Haryana in-charge Yogendra Yadav launched ‘Jai Kisan Abhiyan’ from Gurgaon on 21 February, where thousands of farmers and party volunteers assembled to stage demonstration and marched to the residence of BJP MP to hand him packets of salt and urea.
“The central government and the Haryana government have been insensitive towards issues concerning farmers. The Aam Aadmi Party demands that our MPs oppose the anti-farmer ordinance, when it comes for discussion in Parliament. The BJP must take its promises seriously and doesn’t take the farmers for granted. We hope that the manifesto document is not reduced to nothing,” the AAP said.
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The AAP’s Haryana unit has planned similar demonstrations in all its districts.
“There is a massive resentment amongst the farmers. Our ‘Jai Kisan Abhiyan’ aims to take the voice of common people to our MPs in Parliament. We’re handing over packets of salt and urea the MPs of respective constituencies to ensure that they don’t forget their Manifesto and the ‘due of salt’ while taking decisions,” added AAP’s senior member Radhakrishnan TR Aiyyer, in-charge of 10 districts in Haryana.
But, will the AAP in Delhi join Anna Hazare-led farmers’ agitation at Jantar Mantar?
“In principle, we’re in agreement with Annaji. If he invites us, we’ll join him,” AAP leader Ashutosh told Firstpost. Anna himself has said that he won’t have any objection if Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal participated in the rally.
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