The three hour nationwide chakka jam on February 6 by farmers agitating against the three farm laws has nailed the lie dished out by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to the international community that only a small section of farmers have reservations about the laws. For, the roads were blocked not only in the north, but also in south, east and west of India.
Meanwhile, the government seems to have got itself embroiled in an international Tweeter storm over the farm laws and state repression unleashed on the agitating farmers. Interestingly, it has now the added embarrassment of having to stomach the sharpest ever criticism of its handling of the whole matter by the ruling BJP’s all-powerful ideological wing, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
In an obvious attack on Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar over the farmers’ protest, senior RSS leader Raghunandan Sharma has said the arrogance of power has gone to his head. Sharma, a former BJP Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh has, in his Facebook post, rebuked the minister and the government for trying to shove the laws down the farmers’ throat when the latter are vehemently opposed to the legislations. “Your intention might be of helping the farmers, but if some people don’t want to be helped, what is the use of doing such good?” He even went to the length of chastising the minister with the harsh words that “arrogance of power has gone to your head.”
Critics, however, are wondering whether this is a true rebuke or if the RSS has started recognizing the volcanic eruption about to take place. Observing the obstinacy of the farmer leaders to continue the agitation added with the international social rejection of the Modi government and the slowly but steadily increasing public realization that the past seven years have not helped the common man’s life, the organization is most likely reviewing its future course of action. It may be on a distancing mode to save itself from an imminent slow collapse of the BJP’s political edifice. There is a strong feeling among political observers that Sharma must be well aware that a nondescript minister like Narendra Singh Tomar could not have brought forth these three farm laws of his own accord. He is certainly incapable of withstanding the strong public pressure being mounted from all over the country against the legislations currently. Therefore, it is not Tomar that the RSS is targeting, rather this Facebook post is probably meant to chasten others that, the RSS thinks, are drunk with power.
The Tweeter storm raised by the three international celebrities – pop icon Rihanna, environmental activist Greta Thunberg and US Vice President Kamala Harris’ niece and author-lawyer Meena Harris – is continuing to rage despite the MEA’s unprecedented rejoinder and burning of effigies and photos of the three by pro-government protesters in Delhi. Refusing to bow down to the growing backlash, Harris, in one of her latest tweets, stated that she “won’t be intimidated and silenced.” Tagging a photo of a mob burning posters of her and Greta Thunberg, Meena Harris slammed the government’s highhandedness and stated: “Don’t tell me to stay out of your affairs. These are all of our issues.”
This is only natural since the whole world had got united in condemning the reprehensible killing of black American George Floyd in 2020 by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The protest didn’t remain confined within the USA, but transcended geographical frontiers. An estimated 15 million to 26 million people participated in the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in the USA alone, making it one of the largest movements in not only that country’s history but also globally. Similarly, the insurrection at the Capitol in Washington DC had the whole democratic world voice its concern. PM Modi had also issued a statement expressing ‘distress’ and had hoped ‘an orderly and peaceful transfer of power must continue’. The Joe Biden victory has, once again, forced the USA to take a strong stand against elected heads of government that are turning dictatorial across the world. India’s case would certainly be ranking high in the new US administration’s To Do list since PM Modi had openly campaigned in favor of former President Trump.
In today’s global politics, human rights violation issues enable anyone from anywhere to raise voice and the MEA’s response to the three celebrities was puerile. Now that the United Nation’s Human Rights Commission as well as Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon, like many others from different countries, have jumped into the bandwagon of the Indian farmers’ protest, the path going forward seems to be getting further complicated.
Obviously, the government of India must have known all along that the three celebrities were not the end of the line and that they were not just speaking their own minds but were articulating concerns of their respective countries and millions of people across the globe. Rihanna has over 100 million Tweeter followers while Greta has 4.7 million followers. Their tweets and the government’s frenzied reactions created such an impact that a day after the MEA had slammed them, the Biden administration voiced its first diplomatic intervention with New Delhi after assuming office. Because of such inept handling of the issue, the USA could meddle in India’s domestic affairs. It lectured the government on how to sort out differences between the parties “through dialogue.” On Internet restrictions at the protest sites at the Delhi borders, the US administration put across its message bluntly for which Delhi is responsible: “Unhindered access to information, including the Internet, is fundamental to the freedom of expression and a hallmark of a thriving democracy.” For decades, the US had kept away from India’s internal matters. The present situation arose due to the Indian official involvement in the US election process. Especially because the November 2020 Presidential election was fought with bitterness on both sides not only politically but with massive social issues involved.
Things are increasingly going out of hand with both sides remaining adamant in their respective stands. The farmers have rejected the Centre’s latest offer to keep the farm laws on hold for 18 months and continue negotiations. The government, on its part, has made it clear that it will not withdraw the laws, which have been billed as its big ticket reforms in the sector that would improve the farmers’ income. Buoyed by the success of the chakka jam, the farmers have announced the agitation will continue till 2 October and they won’t move out of the venues of protest at the Delhi borders till their demand is conceded.
The BJP swears by Lord Ram who, in his Ram Rajya, we were told, created an example of curbing his ego and sacrificing even his wife in order to accommodate the wishes of his people.
Conceding the farmers’ demand may give a fillip to the government’s critics to firm up their resolve to go after the government on crucial issues hanging fire while listening to the voice of the people is the cornerstone of democracy. The government, by its adamant stand, is probably closing all doors for any rapprochement.