Talk to small kisans bjp’s rhetoric on farm protests isn’t helping it needs to politically connect with the non rich rural majority

Talk to small kisans bjp’s rhetoric on farm protests isn’t helping it needs to politically connect with the non rich rural majority

Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri tragedy, which saw death of both farmers and BJP workers, came amid escalation of provocative rhetoric in recent weeks. Farm unions’ strategy of agitating in Delhi and UP and social boycott of BJP lawmakers leaves GoI two options: politically isolating protesters or repealing farm laws. The second option is a terrible one, and is to be avoided. But the first approach must eschew inflammatory statements like those from Haryana chief minister ML Khattar and junior home minister Ajay Mishra Teni. Antagonistic rhetoric from BJP allows farm union leaders to don the mantle of victims. Everyone should remember that a festering standoff is dangerous. Now is the time to pull back and show political maturity, recognising the agitation can go out of hand, especially with Punjab and UP heading for polls.

GoI had worked under the presumption that Union laws to reform farm trade would insulate state governments, typically more vulnerable to political pressures. In hindsight, lack of public consultation and disinclination to hear opposition views were a mistake. As GoI’s deliberations with farm unions have failed and are unlikely to succeed, Supreme Court must expedite long-delayed hearings on farm legislations. SC’s indefinite stay on their implementation isn’t helping nor has its exercise of forming a consultative committee to examine the laws. Acceleration of the judicial process may cool political tempers.

The untenability of agriculture in its present form is the crux of the political argument for farm reforms. BJP should sell the idea to voters.But so far BJP is lacking the fine messaging skill needed here. Big farmers benefiting from MSP and procurement support in rice, wheat and sugarcane in three states are not thinking of small farmers, who don’t benefit from the current system. Neither do growers of crops that don’t attract high support prices. Also, farm workers, a huge constituency, are not part of the spoils system engendered by the MSP regime. BJP needs to go out and explain why a small group of rich farmers can’t dictate agriculture. It should consider hiking the level of quarterly income support given to small farmers. And on a broader scale, BJP must recognise that industrial jobs are the only answer to underemployed rural economic actors. All of this means the standard of BJP’s popular rhetoric on farm reforms must rise, especially as the high-voltage UP campaign gathers pace.