The prospect of a new Land Reform policy leaves many farmers feeling vulnerable and threatened. The fear is that the decisions made now will solidify existing structures, making it difficult if not impossible for change in future political agendas or strategies without serious debate among stakeholders within each industry’s corner on reforms they have been grappling with recently — if ever at all before this point!
When he was being tried in April 1929 during the INC national congress session, Bhagat Singh said that if someone wants to be heard, they have “to make themselves so big.”
Irony faced Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who confessed their efforts were not loud enough for farmers across Delhi.
The sounds coming out of protest sites used to be thunderous before but now due even though there’s an effort from them, it isn’t like at all times ago.
How is the new policy been treated?
The government’s actions were not the trademark of a hearing-impaired and sightless regime. Instead, they realised damage control would be required post-haste as their power diminishes to an all-time low.
The problem with taking this action so late is that it may not be enough. With barely forty days before 2021 fades into history and just another month after that, there will now only be time for campaigning to gather momentum.
This means people are much more easily swayed by their emotions than they used to be when elections were held every two years instead of four!
If these last few months contain any form on what we can expect next year, then perhaps people will start asking why MSPs should still feel like an alien concept, given how often the abuse continues despite having legal rights?
What were the outcomes?
Even though there was a case for addressing issues that stalled the farm sector and impacted people engaged in it, Modi’s reforms came late because they were not over the nature of legislation but how fast he pushed through this while having an outbreak.
The worry is that following this resolution, the possibility for serious debate among stakeholders and political parties on farm reform will be unlikely shortly.
It seems as if it won’t happen before 2024 with all these crucial elections coming up soon. Whatever party forms it, a future government will have to be cautious when going into agricultural reform.
Prime Minister Modi was aware that touching this issue would only get his electoral campaign back on track. Still, he did not hesitate long enough for the people of India to see how much effect a single announcement had before making another one later down the line.
The net loser is thus the sector and its state-holders, but India will also have to bear its cost. When blame has been apportioned for stagnation in agriculture–the finger will point towards this government (because of their centralized style). Modi cannot evade responsibility as he was at fault after all!
What Modi had to say?
Modi’s statements have been met with surprise, even by those who are against him. He has taken back numerous decisions from 2014 onwards on issues as diverse as drug policy to EPF rate slash and railway fare hikes which is uncharacteristic for a no-backdown leader like Modi.
A leader can never be too sure of their power, so they create an image of themselves at odds with reality.
This strategy allows them to perpetuate this false perception and maintain control over those who would challenge it by propagating misinformation about the truthfulness behind it all.
One of the most notable lessons we can learn from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP party is that they were wise enough to know when their position was no longer strong.
They recognized an error in thinking like many other leaders who governed India previously: Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv notably (He lost).
The mistake these politicians made before them always had to consider how much support there was out on the street for your parliamentary agenda rather than looking at things through fresh eyes, which could change everything you thought possible about winning another term or two!
