For the last many month’s Indian farmers mainly from Punjab, Haryana, and western utter Pradesh are protesting against 03 new Indian farm laws. Farmers feel that these 3 laws were brought by the ruling BJP party to open agriculture to private players so that industrialist friends of the ruling BJP party make money out of it. In this blog, we try to find out farmer agitation and its impact on the Indian Punjab state election.
There is no doubt that at the time when India was suffering from malnutrition I early part of the independence people of these states with their hard work make India sufficient in food grains. Today no Indian has to sleep without food.
Farmers are very unhappy with the way this bill was brought in parliament and passed without voting in the parliament. It shocked the farmers, particularly from Punjab and Haryana. They feel that somehow BJP Government cheated them.
According to them, these farm laws will put them in a very difficult situation and they will be left at the mercy of big private players.
Initially, farmers tried very hard to make this agitation totally apolitical but slowly they realized that you can achieve nothing if you have no backing from political parties. They, therefore, started appealing public to vote for any party except BJP. In West Bengal, they did it successfully.
Role of Indian Media
Farmers although get some recognition from few world-famous celebrities but Indian media by and large play every trick to defame this movement. A lot of allegations were put against farmer unions. The media tried to discredit them with different names. Some were called Maoists, khalistanies etc.
After making all efforts to defame farmers, Indian media now realized that instead of providing benefit to BJP Government they infect damage the reputation of Indian media and make a mockery of this.
Once Farmers realized that the Media is totally biased against them they blocked the entry of these media journalists in protesting sites and started their own newspapers. They make their own presence on social media to clarify the actual fact about these farm laws and agitation.
It seems that instead of the media’s false propaganda benefiting the BJP party, it now starts hurting it, and more and more people going away from mainstream news media and going to the print and social media for true news. Indian Media’s role was quite biased and pathetic as much as farmers’ agitation is concerned.
Impact of Farmer agitation on BJP ruling party
There is no doubt that during the 07 years of the BJP government in the center, the first time its popularity has gone down very badly. Coincidentally this is the same period when people are not happy with the government’s handling of a covid-19 pandemic. People are even quite dissatisfied with the government s demonetization and the way GST was implemented.
Farmer agitation is definitely going to impact the Indian state Punjab election and for BJP news is quite bad as much as Punjab is concerned.
The divisive policies of the government are also now backfiring. People are quite saddened that even neighboring poor countries country like Bangladesh is at present having more GDP than India.
This is quite surprising that development is no more priority of BJP led Government. Except for Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi, no leader in India is making development as a slogan for a vote.
The BJP party which came to power in the name of development goes too far away from development. In every election most of the parties particularly BJP is more interested to fight the election in the name of religious plank than their development work.
The public is no more interested to listen to promises but wants real work which they can see and feel.
Farmer agitation in this scenario is going to hurt parties that feel that they can keep making people fool with the help of their power and media propaganda. Political parties have to make choice whether they agree with the demand of farmers or not.
Impact of Farmer agitation on Punjab Politics
Punjab election will be the first election in which the impact of farmer agitation, is definitely going to happen to a great extent.
In Punjab, there are 04 parties which are a main players like Congress, AamAadmi party, Akali Dal, BJP.
It is clearly evident that BJP has no chance in this election even no party in Punjab will even try to fight this election in coalition with BJP due to the anger of farmers against BJP.
This may be the first state election in which BJP has no say. Chances are there that this party may also get damage in Haryana and U.P. due to farmer agitation.
The chances of Akali dal are also very remote.
Now there are two parties left Congress and AAP and interestingly both are in favor of farmer agitation and their demand.
Most of the people in Punjab are dependent on agriculture and its allied services. It is very pertinent that Punjab is going to elect govt. which is sympathetic to farmers.
As people of Punjab are not very happy with the performance of Congress and particularly Capt. Amrinder singh, chief minister of Punjab, AAP is looking much powerful. Not only this even in-house fighting between Capt. Amrinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab, and Navjot singh Sidhu another congress party leader, also dampen the prospectus of congress in Punjab.
Being a progressive state, the Punjabi people want a progressive government. People of Punjab have given chances to both parties Akali Dal and congress several times. So now they may also think to give one chance to Aam Aadmi Party, particularly in the wake of the great support they got from the AAP party during farmer agitations.
Punjab state is basically depending on agriculture and industry is almost nonexistent. It is therefore any damage to the agriculture industry, going to damage this state very deeply. There is already very high unemployment. The state requires more employment, better education institutions, and hospitals.
People of Punjab have a lot of its population staying in foreign countries particularly in Canada, America, Britain, etc. which makes them more aware regarding development happening all over the world.
Punjab people want a political party that helps them get rid of these farm laws. They also want more employment, more schools for their children, good health sector.
Punjab people do not want elections to have happened on the line of religious sentiments.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the sentiments of Punjab farmers are very high in regards to these new 03 farms laws and BJP has no question of getting any substantial share in this election. Akali Dal may get some seats but coming to power is looking remote.
Between Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, it seems that AAP has clearly the upper hand.
People of Punjab are not very happy with the congress s work in Punjab but AAP can show their wonderful works which they did in Delhi.
AAP is the party that comes openly in the support of farmers during their agitations on Delhi borders.
Among all political parties, AAP has more integrity because AAP is one of the Political parties which did almost all works in Delhi which they promised in their election manifesto.
It is, therefore, it is likely that AAP may form the Government in Punjab.
This is also the fact that many big movements started from Punjab, any win in assembly election of Punjab by Aam Aadmi party boost the morale of its member and may create alternate to BJP Government at National Level. Let see how things happen???
There is no doubt that Farmer agitation and its impact on the Indian state Punjab election will be huge and it may have a very big impact at the national level.
You may interest to read our blog Why Indian farmers are protesting against farm bills?