DNA Exclusive: Deadlock persists, whither will farmers' movement go after hunger strike?

New Delhi: On Day 19 of the protest at Delhi's border areas, farmer leaders staged a daylong hunger strike on Monday (December 14) to lodge their protest against the new farm laws. The government has again clarified that the three new laws are in the interest of farmers and the government is ready to negotiate to address their concerns.

As leaders of 32 Kisan unions went on a hunger strike from 8 am to 5 pm at the Singhu border, ground zero of the snowballing protests, hundreds blocked highways from Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan leading to Delhi. Others dug in their heels at the various protest sites. Undeterred by the cold, protesters at Tikri, Ghazipur, and Singhu said they were determined not to yield until their demand was met. 

On Monday morning, farmers closed the Ghazipur border connecting Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, but the road was later opened. Farmer unions have also claimed that demonstrations were held at district headquarters across the country to push for a repeal of the new farm laws. They stated that district-level protests were held in various states, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Bihar.

Expressing solidarity with the farmers' movement, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also joined the fast with AAP leaders, MLAs, and volunteers at the party office, and described the new agri-laws as "anti-farmer and anti-common man". 

After their daylong fast, farmers held a meeting on the Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur borders of the national capital on Monday evening, and decided that all the farmer unions will hold another important meeting on Tuesday at the Singhu border to chalk out the future strategy of the movement.

An important meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was held on the issue of the farmer movement. A delegation of Haryana BJP MPs and MLAs also met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and supported the three new farm laws. Union Minister of State for Water Resources Ratanlal Kataria, Lok Sabha MPs Dharamveer Singh and Nayab Singh Saini and Rajya Sabha MP DP Vats and some MLAs were present in the meeting.

Adequate care, however, is being taken of the agitating farmers. The arrangements have been for farmers to relish pizza, have dry fruits, and enjoy bread with honey, besides a gym for young farmers to exercise. Massage chairs have also been arranged for old farmers. Likewise, a washing machine is also there to wash their clothes. Thus, a complete ecosystem has been developed keeping in mind the needs of farmers.

The question, however, arises in which direction will this movement now go from here. The agitation is likely to have three options: the first is that the farmers should accept the amendments in the new farm laws; the second is that the government should repeal the new laws, and the third is that the movement should continue for a long period. 

The problem is that the government has already indicated that these agricultural laws will not be withdrawn. The farmers too are adamant on their stand. As the deadlock persists, there is merely an option of finding out a middle path, in which, both sides should take steps to reach an agreement to end this stalemate. 

The need of the hour is to look at some leaders among the agitating farmers who are flexible and their priority is to find a solution to the vexed issue. The government should also reach out to them and put across its points in a better way along with deputing some leaders to persuade the agitating farmers for talks.

There are some farmer leaders in this movement who are in favour of amendments in the new laws, but they cannot come out openly. It is said that by declaring a ceasefire in the war at the right time, one can reclaim lost territory, but for this, one needs to convey proof of resilience to the opponent. 

Similarly, a leader from agitating farmers will have to come forward to decide to what extent they want the government to bend to declare their win. If it does not happen, then there is every possibility that the movement will lose its edge as well as its direction over a period of time.