The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): Farmers across Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh recently mobilized to express their discontent with the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) policies. This widespread protest involved tractor rallies and effigy burnings, with a strong demand for the exclusion of the agriculture sector from the WTO agreement. The rallies, causing significant traffic disruptions, took place as the WTO was convening its 13th ministerial conference in the UAE.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a collective of various farm unions, orchestrated these demonstrations. In Punjab and Haryana, thousands of protesting farmers halted their march to Delhi at various points, including Khanauri and Shambhu, where effigies symbolizing the WTO were set ablaze. These actions reflect the farmers’ fear that adherence to WTO objectives, which they believe aim to eliminate farm subsidies, would be catastrophic for Indian agriculture.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) led similar protests, disrupting traffic and burning effigies. BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait criticized the Indian government for neglecting farmers’ legitimate demands, condemning the treatment of protesters at the Punjab-Haryana border. These protests are part of a broader call for various reforms, including the legal guarantee of a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
These demonstrations extended to various districts in UP, including Muzaffarnagar, where farmers obstructed highways and organized tractor marches. BKU’s actions also led to heated exchanges with officials in Meerut and plans for a march to Delhi.
In Punjab’s Hoshiarpur, multiple farm groups, including Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal), BKU (Qadian), and BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), demonstrated along key roads. They echoed the broader demands for MSP guarantees, debt relief, and pension schemes for farmers.
The protests were not confined to Punjab and UP; in Haryana’s Hisar, farmers conducted protests at 50 locations, and in Uttarakhand, a significant demonstration occurred at the Bahadarabad toll plaza on the Haridwar-Delhi National Highway.
These widespread protests underscore the farmers’ determination to challenge policies they deem harmful to their livelihoods. Leaders like Irfan Bhatti and Subba Singh Dhillon emphasized the broken promises of the Union government regarding MSP and warned of intensifying protests if their demands remain unmet. The collective action of these farmers highlights the ongoing struggle and the significant impact of international trade policies on local agriculture sectors.
In essence, this movement by farmers across northern India represents a critical stand against the perceived negative impacts of global trade agreements on local agriculture. It underscores the deep-rooted concerns among the farming community about their future in the face of international economic policies. The collective effort to seek changes and ensure the sustainability of their livelihoods speaks volumes about the resilience and unity of the Indian farming community in advocating for their rights and preserving their traditional way of life.