abhay mokashi

What Mahatma Gandhi could not do in over a long period of time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did in a very short span of time, though it is contrary to the ideology of the latter.

Mahatma Gandhi had spent is life in trying to bridge the divide between Hindus and Muslims and time and again politicians owing allegiance to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have put in enough efforts to create a divide in different parts of the country and that it remains so.

Yet, inadvertently Modi and other functionaries of the BJP have acted in a manner that boomeranged and went against their ideology. The stand and action taken by the government, with the BJP as the largest partner and the repeated statements by BJP leaders and spokesperson, have brought together farmers belonging to different religions and castes.

Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have come under fire for the way the government has handled the farmers’ agitation in the country, against the three farm bills, described as Black Laws by the protesting farmers.

Farmers of various states, especially of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting against the laws ever since they were passed and the main stream media took note of the protests only when the farmers tried to march to Delhi to draw the government’s attention to their opposition to the laws.

The Delhi police, under the control of the Central Government, prevented the farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to enter Delhi, forcing them to camp on the outskirts of the national capital and have been doing so over the last 73 days.

The Prime Minister and his government have not shown any seriousness in resolving the issue or even making it easy for the farmers to protest. Various draconian steps were taken by different authorities to make life miserable for the farmers and to curb their agitation. But use of water cannons, tear gas shells, baton charge, disconnection of water and electricity and similar steps, did not deter the farmers, on the contrary their determination to fight for their rights snowballed and more farmers joined the agitation.

BJP leaders at different levels and their spokespersons made various allegations against the farmers, calling them Khalistanis, Maoist, Urban Naxals and anti-national, yet the farmers did not budge.

The BJP and its parent organisation the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have a history of dividing the people on religious lines and the same was attempted with the farmers. But the farmers did not fall in their trap.

Not just Sikh, Hindu, Muslim, Christian farmers have joined hands in their fight, but even farmers belonging to various castes and clans, which have been at logger heads for decades, if not centuries, came together to fight the three farm bills, keeping aside their caste differences. A classic case is of the Khap Panchayats of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. There have been violent clashes between various Khaps over the years, but they seemed to have buried their differences and have come together in support of their demands.

Several BJP leaders, Modi included, have made unscientific statements in the past, which shows their lack of scientific temperament. If the leadership had understood even a bit of science, the farmers may not have come together in the manner they have united now.

After having failed in crushing the fighting spirit of the farmers by use of force, encouraging pelting protesting farmers with stones, obstructing supply lines, disconnection of water and electricity, the BJP led Central Government used the most draconian means to prevent the farmers from entering Delhi. Trenches were dug, concrete boulders were used to block roads, on the boulders were put Concertina wires, also known as Dannert wires; and nails and spikes were cemented on the roads. Obviously, the government thought with such pressure, the farmers’ agitation will crumble, but the result was contrary to the government’s expectations. A scientific principle of pressure had it effect. Science tells us that if pressure on a liquid is increased sufficiently, the liquid forms a solid. After  the pressure was increased on them, the farmers became a more solid block, making it difficult for the government to crush the protest.

Lakhs of people fought the Emergency during Indira Gandhi’s rule, but it was the Emergency which brought several opposition parties together. History has repeated itself in a different way. Under Modi’s rule, not only have farmers come together, they are also getting support from people from different sections of the society. In effect, with his dictatorial attitude, Modi has acted as a catalyst in bringing people together.

For once, the farmers can say sabka saath!