Dear Dr. Gohain, Thanks for your elaborate note.
It's, I'd imagine, rather agreed - across the spectrum, that the aim of the three farm laws, taken together, is to corporatise (with Adani/Ambani very much in the lead) food/agricultural trade/sector and, on the way, dismantle the system of procurement, and also distribution (at discounted rates) to targeted groups, by the state. As regards (reported?) collapse of the mandis outside of the epicentre of the resistance, it should, if at all, intensify the sense of panic and, thereby, reinforce the resistance. Presumably, keeping that in view, the three laws - at least on record, have been kept in abeyance, for the moment. The ongoing fight is, no doubt, a historic one; in order to overwhelm the regime, however, it has to generate strong waves of support from amongst the wider public. That's not yet happening. Maybe the way the common consumers are going to be hit remains to be adequately highlighted. The regime has, as it appears, opted to tire out the agitation - avoiding spectacular use of coercive measures. In fact the stir has already significantly receded from public discourse. On top of that, the regime could engineer a sort of coup on the last Republic Day. The agitation is yet to recover from that setback. Soon thereafter, the second wave followed. So, it's admittedly, a tough situation. Nevertheless, the agitation is still on. Just had a big event at the Jantar Mantar. When and how a spark turns into a prairie fire or a flame gets simply doused - leaving only ashes behind, is not too easy to predict. It has, apparently, its own mysterious dynamics. Those from outside are to, primarily, keep amplifying its message. That's how I get it. Sukla On Sun, 25 Jul 2021, 19:02 Dr Hiren Gohain, <[email protected]> wrote: > Forwarded for kind perusal.Thanks. > Hiren Gohain. > > ---------- Forwarded message --------- > From: Dr Hiren Gohain <[email protected]> > Date: Sun, 25 Jul, 2021, 18:59 > Subject: A Question of Strategy > To: Editor <[email protected]> > > > Please put it in an early slot. > Thanks. > Hiren Gohain. > > A Question of Strategy > (Farmers Stir and Its Foes) > (Hiren Gohain) > I don't remember where exactly I read the story of the APMC > Mandis falling apart in certain regions not immediately involved in the > farmers' stir.I hope fervently it is one of the shoals of fake stories > swirling around in the ocean of Internet.But if true I think it should ring > alarm bells in the leading circles of the mammoth farmers' movement that is > now well into its eighth month.What is happening there is perhaps pressure > on wholesalers, brokers and transport providers from the usual suspects to > cease and desist.Or how else could they be in rough weather? > If you do not make a timely study and appraisal of your > enemy's strategy you cannot hope to win the war.You may even face defeat. > Farmer leaders seem to think it is a case of massive face-off,two mighty > armies digging their heels in and facing each other in a trial of > stamina.If I am proved wrong I am prepared to box my own ears as > penalty.But it seems to me that is a wrong idea of the enemy's plans. > A careful study of the enemy's mindset as revealed in its > actions is that it rarely retreats from the position it holds.Rather like > Hitler in the last phase of his war as he overruled professional soldiers' > advice to withdraw from a desperate situation. Secondly it does not idle > the time away expecting the enemy to make its moves.But makes sly,quiet > tactical moves to weaken its enemy's supply lines and reserves.The > deliberate evisceration of some Mandis may be one such move. > Farmers believe since their movement has solid support of farmers > and workers in the states other than those directly involved,they need not > trouble about the enemy's operations in that shadowland.But while the > support is certainly there,they forget it is not as organised,watchful and > militant as they are.Hence the farmers in those states have come under a > flurry of policy measures that take them by surprise and upset their > chances of coming to the aid of their brothers at war. > The signs of such marauding raids are not evident at once and > these need careful scrutiny.But they are very much there.I am reporting > some of them from Assam,but I believe other BJP ruled states will show > similar evidence.Some time back headlines here screamed that under a new > directive from the centre many farmers here who had received Rs.6000 in > three instalments under eponymous Kisan funds will have to return the > amount as they do not hold secure land Pattas.The total amount is Rs.860 > and odd crores.Now,while this seems to be a typical bureaucratic > rigmarole,it may well hide a more purposeful and ruthless design.The > intention behind that sudden offer of bounty might not have been an > uncharacteristic philanthropy, nor even a vote-wangling bait.On retrospect > It may well have been a cold, calculating stratagem to find out the amount > of land to be ultimately given away to corporates.For dispossessing farmers > of their land is one of the priority aims of the disputed laws. > According to a headline in the Asomiya Pratidin(July 25),the > farmers here are agitated over a reported D.O letter from the Centre's > Deptt.of Food,PDS and Consumer Affairs(DO No.1(4)2018 PYL) the state > government has been asked not to buy foodgrains from farmers any more.This > is evidently aimed at abolishing the MSP regime.Even the state government > had apparently no prior inkling of it as the state budget already passed > had envisaged purchasing 1 million tons of farm produce at MSP. > It is these nibbling attacks that apparently aim at weakening > support for the farmers' stir in states away from the war-zone.I have a > notion that apart from keeping up activities at the front farmers' leaders > have got to find solutions in time to such problems behind the lines that > might snowball into a big headache. > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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