Just Sharing what I had written naively after my first hand experience in May 2006 after the padyatra we did on the issue of farmers’ suicide
If Tomorrow Comes………swapnil
Every one of you is well aware about the fate ofIndiaagriculture and if you are not, I am writing this for from what I realized, what I experienced and what I have seen during padayatra. I participated in the padayatra for the first time with a genuine self-interest to learn what is happening to our agriculture, to know why my fellow countrymen are committing suicides. One more reason to participate, which you all may think about at the end this report, is the worry I have whether we will have something to eat tomorrow, whether my all the dear ones will go hungry?
Usually a thought comes to mind whatIndiahas done so far. Not a single thing on the right track of development. Even the model of development followed was not chosen rightly. What we wish to say is that whatever the plans programmes were prepared by the GoI seemed to be unsuccessful in the context of rural development and agriculture. They were indeed not suitable for our country. Only the mighty rulers of this country know why they went before the illusionary plans of development, which never ever will fulfill the demands of poor citizens of this country. IsIndiaable to fulfill even the basic needs and amenities of people after over five decades of independence? Why thenIndiais called a welfare state? Simply it seems that in its economic capacity state was unable to fulfill this basic responsibility, but then why economic reforms of 1991, which is another virtual base to our Indian economy. Only God knows when the speculative capital will drainIndiainto another black hole of poverty
Let me assure you that the situation of Indian agriculture is terrible. Our entire agriculture system is in trouble. I am not an economist, an agriculture scientist or an astrologer; I am a common man, a citizen of this country as you all are. Hence, I believe that you will realize the same as I did. When I was distributing pamphlets to the people in Umri, they asked me to distribute pesticides so that they can commit suicides. A farmer told me that cotton prices have fallen down from Rs. 2500 /- to Rs. 1800 /- over the past 6-7 years. He asked me, ‘who will pay the loss of rupees 700 /- behind every quintal of cotton which he sells in the market. He said that input costs are rising, electricity supply is irregular, even the capital required for agriculture can not be availed from the bank as we are defaulters due to low prices paid for our crops. We are left with the only option to be indebted under the debt of private moneylenders, and here after even the moneylenders do not have money to lend us.’
I hope a little concern would have remained with you. I believed that man as his labour is instrumental in feeding us since many years. He is the man who labours hard in the field and we are alive and healthy with his grace. I don’t see any “God” feeding me for past twenty years.
During padayatra I met with around 6-7 farmers saying the same thing. They weren’t talking out of their hats. They are worried that how they will buy seeds to sow. They have no money. Private moneylenders come and warn them daily. The day to day requirements have become expensive. I wonder, how the prices of commodities could double, if the cotton price has reduced. I have an example; cement prices have doubled in last 8 years. Why not cotton prices? Let me tell you something secret (everyone knows). Our government is busy in fulfilling the interest of textile lobby. How? The import duty on cotton is just 10 %, as a result a huge amount of cotton from United States (US) is dumped in Indian market thus reducing the cotton prices, and the local competitors are dead with their cotton to be sold at low prices than the input costs. This doesn’t stop here? No. Think of the agriculture subsidies given to the farmers inAmericaandIndia. You know, there are just 25, 000 cotton growers inAmericawho are given a subsidy of $4 million every year. InIndiasubsidies do not match even half of the cost of production. Why should not farmers from the state of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka andMaharashtra commit suicides?
It was padayatra, which also helped me to get into history. Land reforms have taken place in India. You all are aware how effective they were! We also know that there were bonded laborers. A strange fact which came forward during the padayatra is that labourers or any service men at the doors of feudal lords worked hard to earn land. Land, a symbol of wealth and prosperity in those days, is today commodity in the market: a peasant is selling his land so that his daughter can marry, he can free himself from the debt trap, his son can go to cities, study, are employed and earn. This is peasantisation and then depeasantisation happening in the same generation. So strange. My teacher after hearing this said “capitalism dehumanizes everything.”
I feel sorry for government which instead of addressing this issue, is trying to divert the issue of farmers’ suicides by giving alcoholism, family matters as the main reasons for suicides. Moreover, I am sorry for the farmers which today are made to commit suicide due to the policies that are created to serve the elite Indian.
If you all have realized that our agriculture is in crisis, I don’t think I will have to give you examples of farmers from the prosperous state ofPunjabcommitting suicide. I think this is enough to understand agrarian crisis. If you want more, please read newspapers for last one month – I promise you, you will find at least one news on farmer’s suicides in every day’s paper.
After all the questions, it’s the time for answers. Who am I to answer? Still I have an answer as every shopkeeper or trader of the markets will have. I will suggest that the competitors should be less. It is very simple. Throw US cotton out of the Indian market, by increasing the import duty on cotton. After this, demand and supply theory of economics will definitely bring justice to the cotton growers, but this saga does not end here. Padayatra made me realize that this is a big war for justice, there are many more demands to come to overthrow crisis in the agrarian system. Gradually everything will happen, if you are with us (see our charter of demands).
If the Indian farmer is not saved, if agriculture crisis continues to end our food security, I believe we all will be thinking will I be there (of course if you are not an elite) if tomorrow comes……………..
