After three farm bills had been passed in Parliament, Krishak Sabha gave a call to block national highways at 92 places and state highways at 86 points across Bengal on
September 25. On that day, lakhs of people protested the legislations enacted by the Narendra Modi government, said Amal Halder, the secretary of the Bengal unit of the All India Krishak Sabha, the peasant wing of the CPM.“The spontaneous participation of people in the protests had come as a surprise for us,” said Halder while adding that the movement would continue in the form of conventions and regular meetings in the rural areas of the state.
Similarly, the ruling Trinamul Congress had also last week organised several protest programmes across the state, which drew participation of farmers.
As the non-BJP parties draw up their future course of action with a pledge to carry on with their movements, The Telegraph spoke to some of the farmers, who had taken part in the protests.
Dalim Munshi Pictures by Chanchal Pal, Anshuman Phadikar and Main Uddin Chisti
Dalim Munshi, 45
Place: Supur near Bolpur in Birbhum district
Land: Two acres
Cultivates: Paddy, mustard and potato
Annual income: Rs 2 lakh
Why he opposes the farm bills: The new farm laws remind us of our history book lessons on how the British had made farmers cultivate indigo. Like what the British did, the Narendra Modi government wants to do the same through the contract farming provision in one of the bills. A trap has been laid to drag farmers to contract farming. I responded to the call of the Krishak Sabha to protest against the bills that seek to turn farmers into slaves.
Pratap Das
Pratap Das, 72
Place: Kamarda near Khejuri in East Midnapore district
Land: 1.4 acres
Cultivates: Paddy, potato, vegetables, flowers and betel leaves
Annual income: Rs 1.5 lakh
Why he opposes the farm bills: Once the big players jump in, they will drive away our independence to sell our produce. The Modi government is claiming that the bills seek to free farmers but the fact is that the Centre wants to chain our independence to big money. Private players will employ strategies to force us to sell our produce to them at a price decided by them and not by us. We need to join hands to fight the bill and chose to participate in the anti-farm bill rally called by the CPM.
Nimai Roy
Nimai Roy, 55
Place: Khandoghosh in East Burdwan district
Land: 1.5 acres
Cultivates: Paddy and potato
Annual income: Rs 70,000
Why he opposes the farm bills: The Centre is mum on reining in the rising price of fertilisers. We don't want big private business to dominate the lives of farmers but we need infrastructure to reap a good harvest. The farm bills among other things talk about privatising mandi trade, but we know how to sell our produce. We need easy and cheap access to farm equipment and fertiliser. The bills are silent on the real problems of farmers and this made me join the protest rally of the Krishak Sabha.
Aziz Mandal
Aziz Mandal, 47
Place: Dharampur near Bongaon in North 24-Parganas district
Land: One acre
Cultivates: Rice, jute and vegetables
Annual income: Rs 2 lakh
Why he opposes the farm bills: The Centre has been giving us a lot of assurances of protecting the interest of farmers but the BJP’s track record on agriculture gives us no reason to trust them. The entry of big companies has never been helpful for small farmers. The farm bills are trying to legitimise the monopoly of big companies in the farm sector and rob farmers of their rights. As I think Trinamul has the power to take on the might of the BJP, I joined the protest called by the party to resist the farm bills
Manindra Nath Burman
Manindra Nath Burman, 60
Place: Borosakdol in the Dinhata 2 block of Cooch Behar district
Land: 7 acres
Cultivates: Paddy, jute and vegetables
Annual income: Rs 8 lakh
Why he opposes the farm bills: The arrival of big players will create shortage of agricultural produce at local markets. The provision of contract farming will change a region’s crop pattern and that will be detrimental to the cause of farmers. The bill is also mum on minimum support prices. The Krishak Sabha has raised these issues of the farmers and I joined their protest call.
Mihir Sarkar, 51
Place: Chapduar, Subhashganj, North Dinajpur
Land: 1.5 acres
Cultivates: Paddy and vegetables
Annual income: Rs 2 lakh
Why he opposes the farm bills: There is a huge uncertainty as to whether the farmers will get appropriate prices for their produce. A cartel of agents and private players will be unleashed in the farm sector. This will harm the stakeholders involved in the farming community. There is no way but to protest the anti-farmer measures of the government and I have joined the Krishak Sabha in the fight for our rights.
