DEMAND FOR ABOLITION OF NEW FARM LAWS: JUSTIFIED OR POLITICAL?

Abstract

The 2020 Indian farmers' protest is an ongoing protest against the three farm acts which were passed by the Parliament of India in September 2020. The acts have been described as "antifarmer laws" by many farmer unions,i and farmer unions and politicians from the opposition also say it would leave farmers at the "mercy of corporates".ii The government, however, maintains that they will make it effortless for farmers to sell their produce directly to big buyers, and stated protests are based on misinformation.iii Soon after the acts were introduced, unions began holding local protests, mostly in Punjab. After two months of protests, farmers - notably from Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana - began a movement named 'Dilli Chalo' in which 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 into Haryana first and then Delhi. On 26 November, a nationwide general strike that, according to unions, involved approximately 250 million people took place in support of the farmers.iv Over 50 farmer unions have been protesting, whereas government claims some farm unions have come out in support of the farm laws. v Transport unions representing over 14 million trucker drivers have come out in support of the farmers, threatening to halt movement of supplies in certain states.vi After the government did not accept the farmers' demands during talks on 4 December, 2020, the farmers planned to escalate the action to another India-wide strike on 8 December 2020. The government offered some amendments in laws, but unions are asking to repeal the laws. From 12 December, farmers took over highway toll plazasin Haryana and allowed free movement of vehicles. By mid-December, the Supreme Court of India had received a batch of petitions related to removing blockades created by protestors around Delhi. The court also intends to take forward the negotiations with the various bodies of protesting farmers. Also, the court asked the government to put laws on hold, which they refused.