New Delhi
The big picture message is - India's reform journey has been derailed by Misguided farmers, Motivated Mandi operators and sheer champions of negativity - the opposition parties.
Many called it the 'November shocker' yet again from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Nov 8, 2016, he had announced demonetisation of high value currency. Five years and 10 days after, on Nov 19, circa 2021, PM announced repealing of contentious three farm laws. Repealing the three new farm laws was definitely a major negative catalyst to the reform process in the agro economy sector.
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| AFP/UCAN snap credit |
"The repeal of farm reform laws is the real India story, though a bitter one. It will help a small segment of farmers and merchants in two-three states. But the whole country will continue to pay a heavy price for it,” says Ramakanto Shanyal in Bengal.
In 2015, the Land Acquisition Bill was also resisted and later the centre 'left' it to states.
Of course, the year-long protest against farm laws was also seen as one of his biggest challenges since PM Modi
came to power in 2014.
But there was no decline in Modi's popularity graph.
In fact, a global survey in November had given him top rank with a staggeringly high 70 per cent score.
But western media had their line. One foreign agency said -- "The rallies (protest by farmers) became a
lightning rod for opposition to Modi's administration in a country where two-thirds of the 1.3 billion
population rely on agriculture for their livelihood".
Left to him, Prime Minister Modi was a sad man to order repeal of the laws.
"....Maybe something was lacking in our Tapasya, which is why we could not convince some farmers," he said
in a national broadcast on Nov 19.
The Government sources said the PM has chosen 'national interest.
One source said, "the purpose of the new move 'repealing' the three farm laws is to
not allow anti-national elements take advantage and want to create problems and conflicts
between communities".
There were reports of such tension on the eve of polls especially in Punjab.
A notion of alienation of Sikhs - even flagged by Capt Amarinder Singh - had left him worried.
"An impression went both within the country and overseas that the Hindu-Sikh division has widened
again like in the 1980s. The three laws seeking to throw open the market for greater
private investment in the agri sector was being dubbed as anti-Sikhs," says analyst Vidyarthi Kumar.
A former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh - himself a Sikh and a former military officer -
warned about the Sikh alienation and held two separate meetings with Modi's trusted lieutenants
Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
There were also suggestions that some anti-India forces (a possible reference to Pakistan) were trying to back
the Khalistani movement.
In 1984, the anti-India movement of Sikhs had resulted in the assassination
of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and also Indian army storming of the sacred Golden Temple at Amritsar.
Even Governor of Meghalaya, Satyapal Malik, also a former Governor in Kashmir, had cautioned the
Modi government on the apprehension of fueling anguish and grievances amongst Sikhs.
Anil Ghanwat, an agriculture expert and a member of the Supreme Court appointed panel that 'unsuccessfully'
worked to bring the farmers' stir to end, lamented: "No federal government will dare to bring much needed
reforms in the coming 50 years and the majority of farmers will remain poor".
"Over 83 per cent of India's households are dependent on agriculture but the sector's contribution to
country's GDP is minimal. I am not against the protesting farmers, but the farmers from the states in
southern and eastern India who did not agitate have been punished," lamented a Naga leader Thomas
Ngullie.
Over-depending on foodgrains alone had taken away Indian farmers from
cultivating other products like vegetables, pulses and fruits.
In some western states, there is over dependence on sugarcane
cultivation - which again takes away the bulk of irrigated water and electricity.
"The status quo on the farm front is not sustainable," commented 'The Economic Times'
in its edit.
ends
NPP MLA and Manipur Sports Minister joins BJP
New Delhi:
(One source says, Haokib's change of constituency and the party might have been done in 'general understanding' with the NPP leadership so that the BJP-NPP harmony may not be disturbed at all.)
Election time also becomes confrontation time among allies and friends.
The NPP led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is a key BJP ally in
the north east sharing power in Meghalaya and Manipur and is also a NDA constituent at the national level.
But on Wednesday, Dec 29, the BJP struck a major surprise and won over Manipur Sports Minister Letpao Haokib.
He joined the saffron party in presence of Union Minister Bhupender Yadav and BJP in-charge
for the state, Sambit Patra.
Notably, NPP chief and Meghalaya Chief Minister Sangma visited Manipur only on December 27
and reviewed party's poll preparedness in Manipur, which goes to the polls along with UP, Punjab,
Goa and Uttarakhand by February-March.
In fact, in quite ironic situation NPP legislator Y. Joykumar Singh is the deputy chief minister in the
N. Biren Singh-led coalition government in the state.
In 2017 polls,which BJP had won 21 seats in the 60-member assembly, it formed government
along with alliance partners such as NPP.
Sangma's party had won four seats in 2017 and had bargained hard for the deputy chief minister's
post.
Elections in Manipur will be a keenly watched contest with the Congress as the principal opponent
of the BJP especially in view of pending finalisation of a peace pact with Naga rebel groups.
Nagas have substantial presence in hilly regions and in 2017, Nagaland-based regional party, NPF,
too had picked up four seats.
Sports Minister Haokib represented Haokip a politcally sensitive Chandel constituency.
In 2017, it was a fierce multi-cornered contest in Chandel with as many as seven candidates
in the fray. BJP, Trinamool Congress, NPF and the Congress had fielded candidates.
However, in 2022 polls, Haokib may shift constituency and contest from Tengnoupal assembly segment.
The NPP for its part is likely to field Congress MLA D Korungthang in Chandel.
Haokib is from Kuki tribal community and a former footballer and the BJP poll strategists feel
his joining the party will attract youngsters into the Lotus party fold.
NPP is likely to contest 15 seats only while in the absence of any pre-poll alliance, the BJP
may contest all 60 seats and has set a target of 40 on its own.
ends
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