Farmers protest and education

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By Education Today

Posted on April 6, 2022

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Farmers protest and education

For the past seven months, there have been ongoing protests opposing three agricultural reform bills announced by the Modi government that would completely reshape agricultural markets. The protesters, who were initially predominantly Sikh, are opposing the bills alleging that the bills are pro corporate and curtail necessary regulations that protect smaller farmers.

Since from the beginning, the farmers protest received support from within and outside India. People from the film industry, sports, politicians, various organizations and university students were extended their support and actively participated in this protest.

At Delhi’s border, hundreds of students from different universities have joined the protest saying that they have joined in to be part of the “revolutionary movement”. Most of these students are from Delhi University (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Punjab University, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Ambedkar University.

In tête-à-tête with Sweta Sukumar, E D Devis, The subject expert elaborates on the flaws in the Agriculture Bill and the need for more student participation in farmers protest.

“The student fraternity in India must take up farmers protest. But the lack of proper coordination from the students unions side is very evident.

(JNU students stood up for the farmers as the police and the fascist goons entered the campus and even beat up students and teachers. Also, a student named Najeeb went missing there. Yet there was no major repercussion in that regard. The agitations on the campus in Hyderabad did not make a significant difference. Therefore,)

It’s an undenieable fact that the students strikes associated with the farmer’s protest didn’t lasted long. There were no support of the opposition parties

(in India and in the farmers protest as well as a united front of people in India who speak of human rights and secularism.Hence all sorts of defenses collapsed and the central government moved towards more dictatorship.)

The Indian media also showed less interest towards farmers protest. Most of the media are just portraying the goverment version. The reason behind this biased nature is huge part of their income source come from government advertisements.  The restrictions brought to social media by the government in conjunction with these protest provoked students.

Food security is an issue that affects the entire population of India. There may be different opinions among the people of India about corporate farming. If we do not decide what to cultivate on our farmland, if the government fail maintain the naturalness and sustainability of the farmland, and when that right falls into the hands of the monopoly capitalist, the life of common men become hell. The daily foods that we are eating now may not be able to be made in our homes tomorrow. We can cook only with the food provided by the corporates. Currently, there is a situation where corporate food items are conquering the market and the demand for items with potato chips, more chocolate contented chips items etc. are increasing. We will have access to only synthetic food and market-related food items and cereals. Previously, under the essential commodity act, there was a law a person could only collect a limited amount of goods. But now things are getting to the point where we can do monopoly business. Legumes and food items will be removed from the list of favorite cereals. The peoples demand agrarian reform was not meant to be a reform that would make people feel uncomfortable. Instead, the people needed a hundred things that reform at the initiative of the people.

We need a situation where the farmer gets a fair price. The threat to food security in India will affect the entire population of the country as well as the entire generation. Therefore, the needs of the farmers will be very relevant. Today, the majority of people in our country live on drugs. Instead of living on good food or living on the availability of fresh air and water in nature, markets are losing that natural life.

Another thing is that students need to understand one of the main reasons why democracy is so selfish is that agricultural workers get less land. In the same way, they were able to get a decent wage, to get the jobs that the farmers wanted, and to give their children a good education because all the labor laws in this country were strengthened. The vast majority of people can educate and care for their children when it comes to working eight hours a day. Similarly, when the farmer had little access to agricultural land, he started working on his land, earning a little more and leaving his children for higher education. The reason for such a breakthrough in Kerala is the introduction of agricultural laws to give agricultural land to farmers. But there was no such law in India. Farmland is still in the hands of big landholders. That is why farmers in India need comprehensive land reform. Therefore, agricultural reforms must be implemented as a part of education. It is therefore imperative that students raise the slogan for the protection of the agricultural sector.”