Rarely the sky would have seen the struggle of the weak and voiceless farmers which we have been witnessing around Indian capital Delhi. India is impatiently waiting to see who wins, the unarmed farmers or the all-powerful government, which is armed with arbitrary laws and countless tantrums. The tragedy is that the government has purchased or muzzled the media and has decided to teach a lesson to all those who dare to oppose the wrongdoings of the ruling dispensation. The recent onslaughts on advocates, journalists and media houses are proof enough to understand this fact.
It is strange that the government has refused to concede to the just demands of the farmers to give a legal guarantee of MSP for the agriculture produce. It is hell bent on imposing the unpopular, unjust and anti-farmer agriculture laws. The Prime Minister is continuously preaching that the farmers have failed to acknowledge that these black laws are very good for them. The farmer knows where the shoe pinches. Their argument is simple, we know what is good or bad for us, we have never asked for these laws, therefore they should be withdrawn without any further fuss.
The forty crore Indians who include farmers and those who are dependent on them as workers, labourers and sellers of farm products, had never come across the limitless arrogance and intolerance of a ruling party. Moreover, continuously salt is being rubbed on the wounds of farmers by calling them Khalistanis, Pakistanis and even terrorists.
More and more farmers are joining the agitation from every nook and corner of the country. The BJP still refuses to acknowledge that it is gradually losing support in the States of North India. perhaps it feels assured that it would continuously win the future elections by using its time-tested weapons of inciting the Hindu-versus-Muslim statements or exploiting the danger from Pakistan and China, or pulling a rabbit out of hat like Pulwama or resorting to some other conspiracy.
However, the common man has become sadder but wiser. Next time such tricks may not work sufficiently. The economic slowdown, loss of jobs, all time high unemployment plus the disenchantment of the middle class and intelligentsia due to the overall failure of governance and torpedoing of almost all institutions of national importance has completely disappointed the BJP’s vote bank. All parameters indicate that the people are reaching a point of no return.
The farmers agitation appears to be the last nail in the coffin of an insensitive, intolerant and arrogant ruling party which has nothing other than misuse of hate, communal rancour, fear and aggressive nationalism in the garb of patriotism.
The nation is fed up with the divisive policies which are fracturing, dividing and dehumanising the society. The country refuses to be lapsed into disorder. The writing on the wall appears to be rule with justice or get out, make amends or depart, do justice or face justice.