We believe that the Indian farmers are correct in their opposition to the Modi Government’s two new Farm Bills and one amendment to an earlier Farm Bill, that were hurriedly pushed through a majoritarian Indian Parliament during the time of Covid-19, without consulting the farmers.

We are convinced by the analysis of the Indian farmers that these Acts benefit primarily the big corporates and will leave the farmers (especially the small land holders) in penury. Further, the farmers once at the direct mercy of big corporates would be forced to sell their land and become landless labour. The farmers fear that enabling the agrarian structure and cropping pattern to become controlled by corporates encourages only profit-making crops and is a threat to Indian consumers. It also threatens climate change. We believe all these ramifications that the Indian farmers are talking about have not been respected by the Government, who seem to have listened only to corporate demands.

We are of the opinion that these farm laws will also dismantle institutions like ‘Agriculture Produce Market committees (APMCs)” which provide employment to thousands of informal workers who support in loading, unloading, stacking, packaging, and measuring of farmers’ produce. It is pertinent to mention that these state led APMCs have played a pivotal role in ensuring that the farmers get minimum support prices/fair prices, which is one of the key demands of the protesting farmers.

We believe that any attempt at modifying the agrarian structure should be pro-farmer and agricultural labourer, include land reforms, and balance the various stakeholders in the agrarian production system. A national debate with farmers, all political parties and agrarian leaders should be part of a process of any deep agrarian change. In the absence of such a process, the reforms can be disastrous to the farmers and the entire agrarian economy on which the very economy depends.

We support this non-violent farmers’ movement and appeal to the Indian Government to accede to the demands made by the farmers, treat them with dignity, remove these laws and bring in pro-farmer legislation.

The Asia Europe Peoples Forum (AEPF)