The lengthy duration of the movement has thrown up space for budding young leaders who have been able to learn the art of addressing public rallies and provide internet and computer support for dissemination of views and ideas of farmers ’ leaders . This is an important form of social capital which this movement has built for future transformation of rural India . The perspectives of old leaders have changed while working with their counterparts from other religions and regions . New friendships and fellowships have been formed among them . The experience and understanding of how to successfully manage the movement has enriched farmer leaders in their understanding of agrarian issues and crisis in the country . They now have a better understanding of the importance of human and democratic rights , need for united actions by farmers , workers and other sections of working people . They have been able to understand the mode of working of the neo-liberal economic policy and its fall outs . The prolonged period of mobilisation has made the farmers ’ movement a focal point for dialogue and protest against the issues troubling people in the country . The protest by farmers against the unprecedented rise in fuel prices is indicative of this . In view of weak position of elected opposition parties in the country , the farmers ’ movement is representing people ’ s opposition to the unjust attitude of the present government . The peaceful nature of the movement has brought great hope among the people that a very powerful government ’ s decisions can be opposed and changed through collective actions . This is also visible from some of the decisions of the courts on various cases against activists and other people . These achievements make this movement historic and a turning point towards which the country was being pushed by the ruling alliance .
The spread of the farmers ’ movement to several states and a long period of peaceful dharna at Delhi 4 borders spanning nearly eight months meant that more than 550 farmers sacrificed their lives . The movement is confronted with several challenges . The biggest challenge is related to successful conclusion of the movement with such a long period of mass struggle . The mass movement has come to acquire the title of the longest and biggest movement of the century . The continuation of this movement for a further period will act as a great challenge for farmers ’ leaders . These leaders have convinced the farmers that it is a movement for the very existence of farmers as a community . A narrative has developed that the three new Farm Acts will result in the takeover of farmers ’ land and farming by big corporate players like Adani and Ambani . They made a commitment to the farmers that they will continue to fight till these Acts are repealed , along with making MSP legal for all the 23 crops for which the Union Government makes announcements every year . On this , the government has taken a very hard position with a view that there can be amendments in these Acts through negotiations with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha but these Acts will not be repealed . This has created stalemates and after 22 nd January 2021 talks have remained suspended . This is creating restlessness among a section of young participants . It is becoming difficult to keep the movement peaceful in the wake of provocative statements of some leaders of the BJP . Although dharna at the three sites of Delhi border is continuing peacefully yet there has been some sporadic tension and clashes among BKU activists and BJP cadre at several places in Punjab , Haryana and Western UP . The human and material cost of continuing the movement is rising with each passing day . The number of farmers who have died due to extreme weather at dharna sites , in road accidents while traveling back and forth from dharna sites or due to illness after returning from dharna , has been rising . In the case of many martyred farmers there is no bread earner left in the family . In other cases , even if some adult persons are there , they lack resources to look after family members left behind . The question of rehabilitation of such families is becoming a serious issue . As yet the farmers ’ unions neither have the resources nor any programmes for such families . Resolving this issue is being left largely to some NGOs or to the family members left behind . As the number of such deaths grows further , this will add anger in the minds of aggrieved family members and young enthusiastic participants in the movement . Further more , there are some radical elements within the BJP who can put pressure on the Union Government to forcibly vacate the peaceful dharna sites at Delhi borders . This will only lead to massive state repression by police and other security forces . Another issue is related to registration of cases against leaders and cadre of the movement who have to hire lawyers to fight their cases . The number of such cases is rising with farmers not allowed to hold such meetings by BJP leaders in Punjab and Haryana .
Above all , the popularity of the movement in the region has generated expectations among the people , particularly that in the post-movement period if the new Farm Acts are repealed , farmer leaders will be able to solve the agrarian crisis facing the farmers . But the leadership does not have any programme to handle the present agrarian crisis . This has started a new controversy among experts ( Pritam Singh , 2021 ) and also there are farmers ’ leaders ( Deol , 2021 ) who are in favour of the farmers ’ unions contesting the forthcoming elections in Punjab and UP in February 2022 . But there is no consensus on this among the leaders of Samyukta Kisan Morcha . Some of these issues are emotive and divisive in nature which demands attention of the leaders . Also as the movement is becoming prolonged , it is leading to saturation of patience among the youth participating in the contd . in page 08
Class Struggle