The new year has dawned and hopefully, this year will provide an opportunity to break the stalemate in Punjab. The peasantry of Punjab has been fighting for its survival for a long time. Punjab has made great efforts to ensure the food security of the country but it has also had to pay a huge price in all this. After the historic agitation of 2020-21 for the repeal of three agricultural laws, some farmers’ organizations in Punjab have for the past one year raised around ten demands such as the passage of laws to guarantee the minimum support price (MSP) and loan waiver of farmers. A movement for fulfillment is underway. Senior leader of SKM (Non-Political) Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been fasting for the last 36 days on the Khanuri front. On the joint call of the agitating organizations, a complete shutdown was observed in Punjab on Monday, from which it is clear that the people of the state are united towards the rightful demands of the farmers. It is also understood that this is not only related to the occupational demands of farmers but it is an issue to save agriculture which is the lifeline of human society. If agriculture is neglected, the country’s food security may also be in danger. Although many central ministers and bureaucrats keep saying that they no longer need Punjab’s grains, it is their wish that the central grain reserves can remain green without Punjab.
Undoubtedly, agriculture is the backbone of Punjab’s economy but at the same time farmers’ organizations also need to understand that daily new dharna-protests and bandhs will not solve the problem but for this a constructive dialogue with the central government is the way. have to open The Shambhu Barrier on National Highway One has been closed for the past 11 months, which is considered a major hub for industry and business in Punjab, although it is not clear who closed the Shambhu Barrier and why. Last July, the Punjab Haryana High Court had ordered the opening of the Shambhu barrier, but the Haryana government had gone to the Supreme Court against this decision and the matter is still pending. Before the agitation began in February, some central ministers had held talks with the farmers’ leaders, but once the talks broke down, there was no visible initiative from the centre.
Even now, if this matter is to be resolved, then the Center should leave the adage and invite the farmers’ leaders for dialogue and put their proposals before them. The central government was following the thinking of ‘I don’t believe’ even during the last big farmers movement. Now it should change its attitude and take initiative to solve the farmers and agrarian crisis. Even with the intervention of the Supreme Court in this matter, the farmers’ issues have shown the need to be addressed. Therefore, all the parties need to act wisely and with a sense of collective responsibility so that the current crisis can be resolved at the earliest.
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