Modi
unrelenting as farmers struggle triggers volcanic turbulence in BJP’s support
base in Cow Belt
Jagtar
Singh
Ground Zero
Chandigarh:
The farmers struggle that initially was sparked in Punjab against the three agri
marketing laws has started hitting at the very support base of the Rashtriya
Swayamsewak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party nurtured diligently in the
Hindi heartland. This was perhaps never visualized by the party in power while
making moves to sabotage from within this unprecedented peaceful massive
struggle that started in Punjab driven by the Sikh psyche. In the process, the
leadership role is witnessing a shift.
The arrest
of actor-turned activist Deep Sidhu on Tuesday morning in the case relating to
hoisting of Nishan Sahib on January 26 is part of the narrative that has set in
motion this tectonic activity that can impact the 2022 Assembly elections in
Uttar Pradesh. The announcement of Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait
that the ongoing struggle can continue till October 2 next is significant in this context. Punjab
is of little importance in the electoral design of the BJP.
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on Monday gave little indication of his government being
prepared to junk these contentious laws
as demanded by the farmers. The government has earlier offered to amend these
laws or keep the same in abeyance for eighteen months for reconsideration by a
committee including farmers leaders. As per the information doing rounds in the
corridors of power, this period can be extended to even two years.
However,
the farmers leaders too have been consistent in sticking to the demand for
repeal.
The January
26 incidents and the developments since then has further resulted in the
continuation of status quo. There is one change, of course. Going by the
international reaction to this unique struggle, it is Modi who is on the
downward slide.
Modi is
perceived to be a strongman but his government got shaken by just two tweets-
from artist Rihana and young environmentalist Greta Thunsberg. The Modi
government brought in Bollywood and sports persons to counter global
celebrities. The damage could not be undone.
It is the
Modi government itself whose actions has
invited world criticism. Even the colonial government did not act the way the
Modi government hasdone to crush this most peaceful mass struggle. The sites of
sit-in by the farmers at the doorsteps of Delhi at three places have been
barricaded not only by concrete structures and concertina wires but long nails
have also been embedded on the roads.
India’s democracy
that is colonial has now also been
nailed.
What
happened on January 26 is only an aberration in this long peaceful struggle
that the government earlier tried to malign by dubbing it as being controlled
by the Naxals and the Khalistanis. The unfurling of Nishan Sahib by
comparatively a small section of the protesters at Red Fort hit the struggle
hard but it started recovering within 48 hours. In the process, the centre of
struggle has shifted from Singhu to
Ghazipur.
The
emotional outburst of Ramesh Tikait as the UP police tried to evict the farmers
from Ghazipur taking advantage of the
Red Fort incident in which case Deep Sidhu has been arrested turned the tide
and mobilized the Jat belt in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. These are the people
who had voted for the BJP earlier.
The
divisive superstructure of the Sangh Parivar has been constructed on the pillars
of UP. With this construct getting hit
by the tsunami of pro-people narrative initiated by the farmers struggle, the
BJP could be on the loosing ground in 2022 Assembly elections. The BJP just cannot afford this situation as it
might lead to total collapse of this divisive construct.
With this
struggle under global attention, it is unlikely that the Modi government would
take more coercive measures to counter it.
The farmers
have the capacity to carry on the struggle. One has to go to the history of Punjab
to understand the driving force.
Options for
the Modi government are closing and the design to sabotage it from within now
stands exposed. The issue for the farmers is their very existence and they are
prepared to go to any extent.
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