A Time to Relent

The countrywide opposition to the land acquisition ordnce and the suicide committed by a Rajasthan farmer at the recent AAP rally in Delhi are clear pointers to the fact that the farmers of India have legitimate fears about a land acquisition legislation that stands to benefit industrialists more than anyone else. A government that is talking about ushering in good days for everyone cannot afford to ignore the legitimate fears of farmers. There are other frightening factors connected with food production that do not auger well for how the tion is going to cope in the coming days. Early rains have played havoc with crops in North India. The government assistance to farmers in the face of this calamity has been ludicrous. This situation has to be assessed together with the government’s plans to import food grains from Australia and other countries. This negates our achievements of the past, when, with the Green Revolution, we had achieved self-sufficiency in food. The people of India are trying to tell the government in clear terms that the land acquisition ordince is anti-farmer, and therefore, anti-people. Any sensible government would do well to think again, to relent and refrain from pushing anti-people legislations down farmers’ throats if it really intends to usher good days for everyone.