Socio-Political Impact of Farmers’ Movement (2020-21) in India, By- Aditya Pratap Singh, AMU

 

Image Source : CNBC 

By- Aditya Pratap Singh, PG Student, Department of Political Science, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

Abstract:

Kisan andolan started in order to protest against the new agricultural reforms. The govt of India introduced these three laws in June 2020, get them passed from parliament in September 2020. Which encouraged the farmers to protest against the reforms and gained mass support. Which to intervention of supreme court to suspend the farm reforms for 18 months, but protesters demanded the repeal of the farm laws by parliament itself. Protest continued throughout 2021, even in the covid second wave. And by November 2021 govt of India decided to repeal the farm laws. The protest had its social and political impact over the agricultural sector. It was the impact of social unity that protest turned into movement , farmer’s movement gave a new definition to word “BHAICHARA” , protesters considered every farmer as there brother throughout the nation , and SKM aimed to fight against the atrocities faced by any farmer throughout the nation at any point of time. Farmers movement is responsible for revival of khap panchayat ,in many meetings , women leaded and attended in large numbers , blurring the intrinsically patriarchal character of khaps. The fully throated entry of farmers from the boarding states of delhi has warring indications for the ruling party BHARTIYA JANTA PARTY. In this way the Kisan andolan was termed as a movement and had a great impact on agriculture sector.

Farm Reforms:

Details on the three laws :

The agricultural reforms were presented in three Acts. The following section, which was written after the laws were passed, describes how India's agricultural system would have been changed by them:

Farm Services and Price Assurance Bill for Farmers (Empowerment and Protection), 2020

Bypassing mandis and establishing regional dispute resolution procedures, this statute enables farmers to directly deal with purchasers.

Although there was some legal support for contract farming in India at the time, it is "obvious that contract farming is not yet popular." By giving it a thorough national legal foundation and lifting restrictions in a few places where contract farming needs registration with the state's Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees, this Act should enhance its use (APMC).

At mandis or marketplaces, APMCs oversee trade.

The law will provide, according to a press release from the government issued when the Act was first published, a national framework on farming agreements that protects and empowers farmers to engage with agribusiness firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters, or large retailers for farm services and the sale of future agricultural produce at a mutually agreed-upon remunerative price framework in a fair and transparent manner.