Within two days of Modi’s announcement, ie on November 21, SKM has shot off an open letter to Prime Minister Modi, which contains six important issues, while asking the Modi government to resume talks. “Till then, the SKM will continue the agitation as per pre-decided programmes,” the letter read. It means, despite the “strategic retreat” on political consideration, Modi, the BJP, and their allies may not derive the political benefit of the same in the coming assembly elections including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, since farmers are to continue their campaign against them. The issue of death of about 700 farmers during their agitation and numerous cases filed against farmers, their leaders, and many others by several states and UTs were not even mentioned by the Prime Minister. It is also Modi’s strategic failure not to announce withdrawal of all cases against those who were facing the charges of even sedition only for opposing his three controversial farm laws, which he insisted were beneficial for farmers, but are going to be withdrawn. PM Modi even did not announce to compensate the farmers or others for loss of their lives and properties. It would not easy to forget all these that farmers and others suffered. Then there are three other important demands of the farmers – C2+FL formula for ascertaining the minimum support price for all farm produce, shelving of the new amendments to the Electricity Act, and removal of the penal provisions in the law to ensure air quality in the national capital region. Presently, the government calculates the cost of cultivation as per A2+FL formula which includes the paid-out costs incurred by a farmer and the value of family labour, and that too is not applicable for all agricultural produce. The demand for C2+FL formula has therefore become important which would require to include the imputed cost of capital and the rent on the land and the value of family labour to give farmers 50 per cent return for not only a few but whole range of crops. The issues relating to electricity to farmers and stubble burning are also ticklish, resolution of which would need multilateral talks because several states are also involved in these matters. What we need at this point of time is that both the PM Modi and his government should not shy away from talks with farmers and states to sort out the real issues the farmers and the farm sector have been facing for a long time. Political narrowness, as the unilateral announcement of the PM Modi reveals, would not yield the desired fruit for himself, his party, or his any other favourite entity, if not followed up with large heartedness and wisdom. India badly needs reforms in agriculture and agri-market sectors, and the right dose of reform would emerge only when we resort to multilateralism involving all stakeholders. (IPA ServiceViews are personal)
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