As the farmer protested are one such topic, which has gained all the attention of media and government attention these days. Though, we have already discussed about the happenings of the farmer’s act 2020, here we are with a few developments of the topic.

The 2020 Indian farmers protest is an ongoing protest against the three farm acts which was passed by the Indian Parliament in September 2020. The acts have been described as ‘anti-farmer laws’ by many major farmer unions, and farmer unions and politicians from the opposition also say it would leave farmers at the ‘mercy of corporates’.Soon after the acts were introduced, unions began holding local protests, mostly in Punjab. After two months of protests, farmers— notably from Rajasthan and Haryana— began a movement named ‘Dilli Chalo’, in which tens of thousands of farmers marched towards the nation’s capital. Police and law enforcement used water cannons and tear gas to prevent the farmers from entering Delhi. On 26 November, a nationwide general strike that reportedly involved approximately 250 million people place in support of the farmers.On 30 November, India Today estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 farmers were converging at various border points on the way to Delhi.

Over 500 farmer unions have been protesting. Transport unions representing over 14 million truckers, bus drivers and taxi drivers have come out in support of the farmers, threatening to halt movement of supplies in certain states. After the government failed to accept the farmers’ demands during talks on 4 December, the farmers planned to escalate the action to another India-wide strike on 8 December 2020. From 12 December, farmers sieged the toll plazas and allowed free movement.

Flashback

On 20 September, the Rajya Sabha also passed the three bills by 22 September. The President of India gave his assent by signing the bills on 28 September, thus converting them into acts.

The acts are:

1. Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act: expands the scope of trade areas of farmers produce from select areas to “any place of production, collection, and aggregation.” Allows electronic trading and e-commerce of scheduled farmers’ produce. Prohibits state governments from levying any market fee, cess or levy on farmers, traders, and electronic trading platforms for trade of farmers’ produce conducted in an ‘outside trade area’.
2. Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act: creates a framework for contract farming through an agreement between a farmer and a buyer prior to the production or rearing of any farm produce. It provides for a three-level dispute settlement mechanism: the conciliation board, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, and Appellate Authority.’
3. Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act: allows for the center to regulate certain food items in the course of extraordinary situations like war or famine. Requires that imposition of any stock limit on agricultural produce be based on price rise.

What Farmers Want

The farmer unions believe that the laws will open the sale and marketing of agricultural products outside the notified Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis for farmers. Further, the laws will allow inter-state trade and encourage voluntary electronic trading of agricultural produce. The new laws prevent the state governments from collecting a market fee, cess or levy for trade outside the APMC markets; this has led the farmers to believe the laws will ‘gradually end the mandi system’ and ‘leave farmers at the mercy of corporates’. Further, the farmers believe that the laws will end their existing relationship with arhtiyas (commission agents who act as middlemen by providing financial loans, ensuring timely procurement, and promising adequate prices for their crop).

Worldwide Response and Reactions

• Australia: Several Labour leaders, including Victoria Member of Parliament Rob Mitchell and Russell Wortley spoke in support of the farmers’ protests, with Mitchell addressing the Victorian parliament on the subject after several protests were held in Australia by citizens.
• Canada: Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada expressed concerns about the supposed mishandling of protests by the Indian government. Trudeau stated that “Canada will always be there to defend the right of peaceful protestors” and expressed support for “the process of dialogue.”In response, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Canadian High Commissioner to India, Nadir Patel, and issued a démarche, stating that Trudeau’s comments were “an unacceptable interference in our internal affairs”. On Saturday, 5 December, hundreds of supporters protested in downtown Toronto and Vancouver, gathering in front of the Indian consulate in both cities to show their support. Organized by members of the Sikh community, the demonstrators stood in solidarity with the farmers and their right to peacefully protest.
• New Zealand: In early December 2020, 1,500 Indian New Zealanders protested in Auckland’s Aotea Square against the new agricultural laws.
• Pakistan: Federal minister Fawad Chaudhry from Punjab, Pakistan called out the Indian government’s behavior with Punjabi farmers and termed it “shameful”. He further stated that Modi’s policies were “threats for regional peace”.
• United Kingdom: Several Labour MPs in the United Kingdom expressed support for the protests and raised concerns about the government response to protestors, including Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Preet Kaur Gill and John McDonnell. A few British MPs and cricketer Monty Panesar also tweeted in support of farmers. In December 2020, a group of 36 British MPs from the Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party asked the British Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, to raise their concerns with the Indian government. The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, after being confronted with the issue, confused it with the India–Pakistan conflict, drawing criticism domestically and in India.
• United States: Several Indian-American protests were held in support of the farmers, with rallies being held outside Indian consulates in San Francisco, Chicago, Indianapolis, New York, Houston, Michigan, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. Several American Congressmen from both the Republican and Democratic parties voiced support for these protests, including Josh Harder, TJ Cox, Doug LaMalfa, and Andy Levin.

United Nation’s Say
Antonio Gutierrez, secretary-general, called on the Indian government to allow the protests, affirming the right to voice opposition to the government, stating “…People have a right to demonstrate peacefully and authorities need to let them do so.”