'Absurd, annual extortion tourism...' Social media users slam farmers' protests 2.0
By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Feb 13, 2024, 2:44 PM ISTProtesting farmers have launched the 'Delhi Chalo' march with a list of demands. Questions arise regarding the relevance of certain demands to states like Punjab and Haryana with low Scheduled Tribe populations, leading to speculations about foreign influence and political motivations.
Protesting farmers embarked on their 'Delhi Chalo' march on Tuesday, aiming to compel the Centre to address their pressing demands, with the enactment of a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops topping the list. MSP is considered a vital safety net for farmers grappling with market uncertainties. Amidst the clamour for MSP, other contentious issues include the repeal of the Electricity Act 2020, compensation for farmers involved in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, and the withdrawal of cases against participants in the farmers' movement. While discussions ensued into the early hours, farmers assert that promises made by the government two years ago remain unfulfilled, underpinning their determination to continue the agitation.
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Prominent farmer leaders, including Samyukta Kisan Morcha's Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee's Sarwan Singh Pandher, have expressed scepticism regarding the government's sincerity in addressing the broader spectrum of demands.
However, amidst the ongoing agitation, certain demands have sparked debate over the potential politicization of the movement. One such demand pertains to the implementation of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution and safeguarding tribal rights.
The Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution outlines provisions concerning the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes. It encompasses ten states, including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Telangana.
The criteria for declaring an area as a "Scheduled Area" under the Fifth Schedule include a predominant tribal population, compactness and reasonable size of the area, establishment of a viable administrative entity such as a district, block, or taluk, and economic backwardness relative to neighboring areas.
Social media users and political analysts are wondering why the demand for implementing the 5th schedule of the Constitution is emerging from farmers in Punjab and Haryana. As per the 2011 Census, Punjab and Haryana have been classified as the states with the lowest population of Scheduled Tribe population in the country (between 0 to 0.5 percentage).
Look at the last demand. There are no STs in Punjab and Haryana where most of these protestors are from.
If it wasn't obvious that it has a foreign hand. https://t.co/mdOvCjMwvq
Social media users are also questions demands like India should come out of the World Trade Organisation agreements and pension of Rs 10,000 per month for farmers and farm labourers above 58 years of age. Some claimed a definite foreign hand while questioning the timing of the protests. Others claimed that Opposition parties like the Congress have instigated the farmers to stage protests against the Centre.
Tractor walas demanding India exit the WTO & pay them 10,000 Rs/month as pension. 🥲
Modus operandi is simple, ask random freebies and convince an average Joe back in the village, that he deserves all this. And they are going to fight for his right, by seizing the capital. And… pic.twitter.com/PnAL0miVOc
देश के किसानों की मांग पर अक्सर बहस होती है। किसान संगठनें अपने मुद्दों को उठाने के लिए राजनीतिक दबाव बनाती हैं, लेकिन अक्सर यह मांगें बेबुनियाद होती हैं
किसान संगठनों जो अपनी मांगे इस बार उठाई हैं - आइये उसका विश्लेषण करते हैं
एक ऐसा उदाहरण है एमएसपी (Minimum Support Price) की… pic.twitter.com/mfcCCEIFpj
देश के किसानों की मांग पर अक्सर बहस होती है। किसान संगठनें अपने मुद्दों को उठाने के लिए राजनीतिक दबाव बनाती हैं, लेकिन अक्सर यह मांगें बेबुनियाद होती हैं
किसान संगठनों जो अपनी मांगे इस बार उठाई हैं - आइये उसका विश्लेषण करते हैं
एक ऐसा उदाहरण है एमएसपी (Minimum Support Price) की… pic.twitter.com/mfcCCEIFpj
Farmer's demand !!!!!
The government should buy crops from farmers at expensive prices on MSP. Then the same crop should be provided to the public at cheap rate. Can any economist tell us how both of these are possible?
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