Day 51

#FarmersProtest

Reminder: in the midst of all that is going on at Delhi’s borders, the uncalled for intervention by Supreme Court, the 9th meeting between government and famer representatives, It is amazing how all of us – government, public, urbanites, lapdog media – have forgotten the Swaminathan Commission Report, 2007.

During the 2014 general elections, the BJP promised to implement some of the key ‘terms of reference’ of the Swaminathan Commission Report.

The promise is part of their election Manifesto. The BJP said, it will:

- Increase farmer income to over 50% of production cost (MSP guarantee is a key farmer demand)
- Reform APMCs (not set up parallel Mandis)
- Radically transform Food Corporation of India (currently under loss of Rs 2.65 lakh crore)
- Bring in high-yielding seeds (not BT)
- Link agriculture to MNREGA, Provide cheaper agri-inputs and credit, agro food processing units (not contract farming)
- Cluster-based storage systems for food grains and agricultural commodities (not hand over sector to two – one for stockpiling, another for distribution)
- Welfare measures for farmers above 60 years of age, small and marginal farmers and farm labour

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Implement these, the farmers will go home.

Else, ask yourselves, what kind of electoral democracy do we live in that political parties promise us policies in writing, in their Manifesto, then they betray their promises, lie to us, want us to negotiate and adjust with some scraps and we continue valuing them, electing them?

This is certainly not democracy, this is blind worship of a populist demagogue. Then why have political parties? Why have manifestos? Why have elections?

Tags: Swaminathan Report