Green shoots: on political consensus on repeal of agricultural laws

Repeal of three controversial agricultural lawsThe conflict over them has been pacified through a parliamentary resolution by the Narendra Modi government, but the underlying questions about the region remain unresolved. Farmers who have been stuck at sites around the national capital for a year are now dispersing, but there is not much clarity on the road ahead. the defeat of the government, and Peasants’ Unions Victory And the opposition over the repeal of the laws has created a hostile environment for long-term solutions to agricultural practices which are economically and environmentally unstable, No reform would be possible without sufficient political support for this, unless unlimited state force is used to suppress the opposition. In this instance, the government proceeded without adequate consultation and came to a standstill with the farming communities. Any worsening of the situation could have been dangerous for the stability of the country, but forcing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to back down was an immediate political calculation for the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. But the farmers are unclear about their approach to the party. A section of them in western Uttar Pradesh may consider voting for the BJP, but for many, the wounds are still fresh, and they do not trust the BJP. In Punjab, the BJP has managed to be part of the conversation, but the road to any political reward for its cancellation seems long at the moment.

Farmers have pledged to review the progress of their agreement with the government in mid-January. Their major remaining demand is a legal guarantee of minimum support price for all crops. While the government has promised that the existing MSP regime will not be diluted, the questions of increasing its coverage and backing it legally have been left to a committee set up by the Prime Minister. The committee also includes representatives of farmers. The Indian agriculture sector needs a balance between national development priorities and market linkages, and ensuring long-term economic stability for those employed by it. Wide coverage of MSP may encourage farmers in Punjab and Haryana to switch from irrigation intensive, and costly rice to diversified cropping patterns without compromising on the food staple. Areas with abundant water can adopt suitable crops. In order to achieve ecologically appropriate geographical spread of crops, there is a need to address the existing regional disparity in the region, by increasing state attention to areas and crops that are now under shadow. Raising farm income is a common objective of all political parties, and it is most unfortunate that they are unable to put their heads together to achieve it. The peace achieved by rightly repealing the three laws should be used wisely by the Center to build a political consensus on the country’s agricultural sector.