Farmer distress is something that many of us read about but give little thought to. We have a vague idea that those who feed us are having problems feeding their own families. We are angry that the little people are squeezed for loan repayments while the fat cats escape with impunity. The recent farmers’ protest march in Mumbai gave us some much needed perspective about the people who form the backbone of our country and also gave us a ringside view of democracy in action.
Walking over 180 km from various parts of Maharashtra, farmers gathered at Azad Maidan in Mumbai to protest and to make known their grievances to the government. While official sources pegged the number at 15,000, union sources place the number closer to 50,000.
Among other things, the farmers who have marched on foot from Nashik want to remind the Prime Minister of his promise to double farmer incomes. The farmers are agitating for the promised 50% return over production costs and the implementation of the MSP (minimum support price) for farmers’ produce.
The farmers are also asking for promised loan waivers; particularly in view of large scale crop destruction due to poor rainfall, pests and weather disturbances. This is a scheme that promised relief to farmers, but which has seen inadequate and poor implementation.
The farmers and indigenous tribal people also want some changes in the river interlinking project in the state to protect villages from being submerged. The protestors also want their concerns around land acquisitions for super highways and the bullet train corridor to be addressed.
Protests and marches tend to cripple normal traffic movement and work in Mumbai. For this reason, the protestors marched silently through the streets on Mumbai on Sunday night to obviate these problems; particularly in order not to inconvenience students taking their class X board exams on Monday morning.
These are ordinary, poor folk who toil for the barest minimum, many of whom have lost a family member to suicide when they were unable to repay small loans. Many of the protestors had said they would not return home without their demands being met.
When the protestors reached Mumbai after days of walking, at times skipping meals and sleeping in the open, they were welcomed by Mumbaikars with meals, snacks, water. Some also offered footwear for the tired, calloused, sometimes bleeding feet. Some Mulund residents showered flowers on the protestors as they passed by.
In a wonderful show of solidarity, religious groups as well as common Mumbaikars got together to offer food packets and water to the marchers. The impunity with which the rich escape the consequences of their own actions while the poor and disenfranchised are made to pay seems to have touched a chord with many common Indians who are angry with the government and have sympathy for the farmers.
Mumbai’s famous dabbawalas also were seen helping farmers who thronged the country's financial capital. Now, after the government has decided to look into the matter and address the farmers’ grievances, the farmers will be returning to their villages. Buses and special trains will be pressed into service for this.
The farmers’ protest in Mumbai – a peaceful, dignified, disciplined, mobilization by some of the least powerful citizens of the country – has been Indian democracy in motion. For what else is this thing we call democracy but the airing of voices not otherwise heard?
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