Farmers chose short-term gains over long-term sustainability.
Farmer unions from Punjab have rebuffed the proposal of diversifying crop cultivation made by the Narendra Modi-led Central government. Amid the drop in the water table in Punjab, reducing soil fertility, and the presence of pesticides in the soil, Punjab’s soil quality is deteriorating. Still, farmers are adamant about not moving from unrealistic demands such Rs 10,000 pension per month, says a professor from Punjab Agriculture University on the condition of anonymity.
As per a senior leader of the Punjab unit of BJP, amidst the ongoing farmer protests, every day is a new challenge—including the death of farmers. In fact the death of a 21-year-old Shubkaran has become a political playground for parties.
On 14 February, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting that the government was inclined to concede to the demands solely based on fluctuations in PM’s popularity. Dallewal interprets the altercation between the police and the protesters as indicative of the decline in the popularity of the PM and the BJP.
Dallewal went on to assert that democratic freedoms were being curtailed in the country, citing instances where protesters were obstructed from advancing towards Delhi by police barricades in Haryana. He alleged that the police instigated violence against the demonstrators, resulting in injuries, although he denied any involvement of the protesters in stone pelting. However, contrary to his claim, there are documented instances of protesters hurling stones at law enforcement officers, resulting in injuries.Regarding the BJP’s electoral promises, Dallewal claimed that the party had committed to implementing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission on minimum support price (MSP).
Then he claimed that the BJP reneged on this promise. However, it’s worth noting that the BJP’s manifesto in 2014 did not make any such mention. Its “Agriculture: Productivity, Scientific and Rewarding” section vaguely pledged to enhance agricultural profitability by ensuring a minimum of 50% profits over the cost of production, alongside advocating for cheaper agricultural inputs and credit. The crop diversification proposal, presented during discussions on 18 February, sought to address the pressing issue of depleting groundwater levels by transitioning from water-intensive crops such as wheat and paddy. According to government sources, the proposal envisioned a five-year transition plan for farmers in Punjab to cultivate alternative crops, including cotton, maize, tur, urad, and masur. The plan aimed not only to mitigate the strain on groundwater resources but also to offer monetary support to farmers during the transition period. Government agencies like CCI and NAFED were slated to oversee the execution of the agreement, with no specified upper limit on the procurement of these crops by the government.The proposal came amidst alarming reports of groundwater depletion in Punjab, as highlighted in the 2017 Dynamic Groundwater Resources Assessment of India report. With most of the blocks classified as over-exploited or critically depleted, urgent measures are required to address this environmental crisis. Despite the potential ecological and economic benefits associated with crop diversification, farmer unions opted to reject the proposal, choosing short-term gains over long-term sustainability. This maintenance of status quo could perpetuate environmental degradation and economic hardships in the future too.