DNA Exclusive: Are protests getting advantage of 'too much democracy' in India?

New Delhi: As the protests by farmers outside Delhi entered the 20th day on Tuesday (December 15), Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a direct message to the agitating farmers, said, "I want to reiterate that my government is ready 24 hours to resolve all your doubts", but accused the opposition of spreading confusion about the new agricultural laws.

Making a strong pitch for the new agri laws, the Prime Minister said a conspiracy is afoot to confuse the farmers and flayed the opposition of shooting off farmers' shoulders. "People who are sitting in the Opposition and misleading farmers today were in the favour of these farm reforms during their government. They could not make a decision during their tenure. Today when the nation has taken a historical step, then these people are misleading farmers," said PM Modi, during his visit to Gujarat's Kutch to lay the foundation stone of several development projects.

Prime Minister Modi, who was on a day-long visit to Gujarat, said also gave the example of two sectors in Gujarat, his home state, which flourished without government intervention. He said dairy and fisheries sectors in the state grew exponentially without much intervention of the state government as the business is mainly handled by co-operative sector leaders and farmers.

"In other parts of the country too, milk producers and the co-operative sector have created a successful supply chain. Similarly, governments do not have any significant control on the trade of fruits and vegetables," he said, adding "I am giving these examples because a conspiracy is afoot to confuse farmers who have gathered near Delhi at present." 

Notably, DNA report has earlier exposed the conspiracy to provoke the farmers in the name of this movement. They have also been intimidated by saying that their lands will be taken away under the new farm laws. PM Modi's tried to remove this fear of farmers but leaders of agitating farmers, however, asserted they will "make" the Centre repeal the three new agri laws in a hardening of their stand. 

As leaders of farmer unions sought to ratchet up pressure on the Centre declaring their fight has reached a stage where they are "determined" to win it no matter what, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Centre is willing to continue its talks with "genuine farm unions" to find a solution with an open mind.

Of late, DNA reports have been discussing whether 'too much democracy' in India is being misused, and in the name of Constitution, several things are done in unconstitutional way. On Monday, the Supreme Court sought a response from the Centre on the plea filed by a 94-year-old woman seeking to declare as 'wholly unconstitutional' the proclamation of Emergency in 1975. The top court, which decided to hear the plea, said it would also examine whether it is "feasible or desirable" for it to examine the validity of the proclamation of Emergency after a lapse of 45 years.

In the name of democracy, pandemonium broke out at the Karnataka Legislative Council on Tuesday as Deputy Chairman SL Dharme Gowda was literally pulled down from the Chairman's seat by Congress MLAs, leading to a fierce push between BJP and Congress MLAs.

The BJP had called a session on the direction of the Governor to move a no-confidence motion against Pratap Chandra Shetty, Chairman of the Legislative Council. BJP, which has less number in the Legislative Council, had planned to remove the council Chairman of Congress with the support of JDS. As the session started, the BJP and JDS demanded that the current Chairman would not sit on the chair, and in place of him, the Deputy Chairman and MLC Bhoje Gowda of JDS was asked to take the seat. 

In a democracy, everyone had the freedom to speak, but when this freedom causes trouble for others, then it must be questioned. The incident is related to the strike of nursing staff at AIIMS in Delhi. Although the strike was withdrawn after the High Court order, the strike has raised many questions when the country was struggling with the coronavirus.