Indian farmers’ protest: A cry for freedom in the face of authoritarian tactics
Since August 2020, hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers—mostly from the country’s northern states—have been protesting reforms to three laws pertaining to the pricing and sale of their crops. Although agriculture only makes up 18 per cent of India’s GDP, it accounts for more than 50 per cent of the country’s workforce, making it by far the largest employment industry in the world’s second most populous nation. There are approximately 800 million farmers in India, roughly double the population of all the states in the European Union. Any reforms to India’s agricultural laws will have tremendous implications, not only for the Indian population, but for the world as a whole.
The origins of the current protests date back to the Green Revolution in the 1960s, when the government introduced subsidies for farmers and implemented laws to regulate the price of crops. The farmers are protesting three laws passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP government in September 2020, which repealed the earlier legislation that guaranteed farmers a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops. The farmers argue that the new laws will push power into the hands of major corporations, allowing them to manipulate prices and squeeze the farmers out of the industry.
Unlike the large commercial farms in the U.S., the average Indian farm is roughly 2 acres in size, and farmers are increasingly struggling to make ends meet. Ambadas Sanap is a 44-year-old farmer in the state of Maharashtra who supports nine family members with his farm. Sanap states, “I don't have enough electricity but even then, I work day and night." Water scarcity throughout the subcontinent is adding further strain for farmers like Sanap.
Reforms in Indian agriculture pricing will also have implications for the global community. India currently produces 68 per cent of the world’s spices, and is also the leading producer of basmati rice and milk. It is second only to China as a producer of fruits and vegetables. The majority of protesting farmers are from Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi, which happen to be the largest crop-producing regions in India. In today’s globalized and interconnected economy, any changes in India’s domestic laws can be expected to have a ripple effect for global consumers.
But the nation-wide protests of India’s farmers are of global significance for more than just economic reasons. They should also attract international alarm over the deteriorating human rights landscape in the country. The 2020 Human Freedom Index ranked India as number 111 out of 162 states. The authoritarian tactics of the government are now resulting in the largest protests ever to take place in India. The ongoing demonstrations draw further light to the internet shutdowns, press censorship, and violent suppression used in attempts to silence the protestors. Currently, the Punjabi Sikh farmers have proven to be the most vocal leaders of the demonstrations. Their current activities draw parallels to several instances between 1970 and 1980 when Punjabi farmers disputed reforms to agriculture policies.
Similarly, the recent crackdowns against protesting farmers comes shortly after reforms in Kashmir that also contributed to India's increasingly authoritarian landscape. The 2019 constitutional reform for the northernmost state of Kashmir saw the hostile takeover of the state and its jurisdiction after the Indian government revoked the United Nations agreement which ensured the Kashmiris’ right to an autonomous government. This takeover saw several human rights abuses come to surface, including statewide internet shutdowns and limited access to healthcare, information, and education.
These protests are more than what they seem to be on the surface. Farmers are continuing to fight for their livelihoods and their ability to sustain themselves and their families. The growing discontent and lack of a resolution should be of concern not only for Indians, but for consumers of a wide range of produce, from turmeric to basmati rice. However, these protests are also about much more than just food, they are part of a struggle for representation and equality in India.