‘Opposition will coalesce on farmers’ issues’ – Business Line

Opposition parties see the prevalent farmer distress as the BJP’s Achilles’ heel, and plan to use the issue to unite ahead of the 2019 general elections.

After farmers across Maharashtra took part in a march to Mumbai in March this year, forcing the Devendra Fadnavis government to accept many of their long-pending demands, the Opposition is trying to organise similar protests in other parts of the country.

The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), the main force behind the Mumbai long-march, hopes that the farmers will help unseat the BJP in 2019. “The kisan long-march united almost the entire Opposition. All the leaders of the Opposition, including those of the ruling Shiv Sena, supported that march. It had tremendous appeal on the masses, most importantly on the middle class. Many of them came with sandals for the farmers who were participating in the march,” said Ashok Dhawale, CPI(M) Central Committee member, and President, AIKS.

Dhawale told BusinessLine that a nationwide ‘jail bharo’ agitation planned by the AIKS on August 9 will firm up the opposition against the BJP.

“It will also help cement Opposition unity. When struggles come, the government will have to cave in. It’s in the agriculture sector that the BJP made the biggest promises and the biggest betrayals. Farmers are totally disillusioned with this government, along with Dalits, Muslims and the working classes,” Dhawale said.

The Congress, during its recent plenary session, had promised that a loan-waiver scheme for all small and marginal farmers on the pattern of its 2009 programme if it comes to power. The party had also promised to bring in a paradigm shift in the agriculture sector to ensure dignity and social security to farmers and their children.

Several other parties, such as the RJD, the SP and the BSP, have also been vocal on farmers’ issues. There are reports that RJD leaders in Bihar were in touch with various farmers’ outfits to raise issues of farmers in the State.

Dhawale said farmers were plagued by debts, low prices for produces and the lack of procurement.

“It is basically lack of political will from the Centre and the States. They are wedded to the corporate lobby. Farmers and workers are looking to them. They gave empty promises during elections and are not implementing anything. They are pleasing corporate houses for election funding and they think they can win. They won 2014 because of the discontent with the Congress. It will not repeat in 2019,” Dhawale added.