Like the rest of India, I sympathize at your plight over the amended farm Acts and your democratic and undeniable right to protest. Being an eternal optimist, and despite many inconclusive meetings with the Government and your representatives, I hope you will find a solution.
Kisans providing security against hunger and malnourishment are as important to India as our jawans who provide security at our borders. I may be aware of some of your difficulties, having toured many states’ farming regions extensively. You are at the receiving end be it produces in abundance or failure of crops. The Government’s need to handhold and walk you safely is beyond any debate. There cannot be two opinions that the country cannot grow if you do not grow. The Farm reforms could have been in that direction, though I keep my personal opinions aside right now.
The stalemate of talks might have prompted your leaders to decide on a tractor-rally around Delhi today, an important and eventful day of the nation, our 72nd Republic Day.
The situation was ripe for India haters, both Khalistanis and Pakistanis to infiltrate your movement and sully your image. For Modi haters, this was a God given opportunity, when the Delhi police trusted you and allowed a peaceful tractor rally within a stipulated route. The breaking of the cordons and diverting from the routes to converge at the Historical Red Fort’s gates could not have happened without a meticulous and crafty plan by the mischief-makers and anarchists.
Many from your household and villages must have served the Indian army, and many sons could still be donning the olives. I grew up near a Gurdwara, trying to learn a bit of Guru Nanak’s spirituality and the valour of many other Gurus like Guru Gobind Singh etc. Our next generation must remember these greats and their sacrifices in protecting our culture and nation and not one who hoisted another flag at red fort.
Sieging Red fort and hoisting any other flag today is a plain sacrilege against those great sacrifices of the past Gurus. Such actions do not change the Government in a large and well-founded democracy like ours. The protestors included women and children, contrary to the assurances given to the Supreme Court. The ploy of some could have been to foster trouble, force the police to fire and a few to die. Had such a thing happened, hell would have broken loose, the Government attacked within and outside the parliament and the paid media. But it also would have irreparably weakened your movement and demolished the perception of peaceful farmers protests. I am thankful such untoward did not happen and saved the day.
I guess your associations number over fifty and therefore it is not easy to arrive at any agreement at any meeting with the Government. Therefore, you may be demanding a repeal of the Acts. Shrink your leadership to a few worthy and knowledgeable team to sit again and reopen your dialogue. This can only happen if you view the Indian Government as your own.
Do not be a party to let others hoist any flag other than the tricolour from the Red Fort’s ramparts, which symbolizes the national pride and strength.
Please return to your villages and send a few representatives to carry forward your negotiations with the Government. Remember, those who may have provoked you, have all but backtracked and vanished from today’s scenes. I guess India will not disown you ever.
Jai Hind!
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
