Skip to main content

Farmers Protest 2020: Let's listen to the Indian Constitution

A lot of information is flowing about one of the largest human protests in World History. Lakhs of Indian Farmers are on the road, protesting the three farm laws the Govt. says is the best formula to end all their problems. The Farmers say they don't want them. The Govt. says that it knows better.


Many of you have written to me in the past several days inquiring what's happening. Moreover, the Indian Media is so biased that it acts more of a Govt. mouthpiece than the fourth estate it was envisioned to be.

Let me begin by saying that these laws' foundation is so shaky and dicey that reading the bills themselves doesn't make any sense.

In our Indian Constitution, there are lists. These cover which segment will be a State Subject and which will be a Central Government subject. Defense, for example, comes under Centre. For any sector that we need to discuss, we have to see who is authorized to create policies for that sector.




Let us move forward to the State List. No. 14 mentions - "Agriculture, including agricultural education and research, protection against pests and prevention of plant disease." No. 27 says that trade and commerce within a state also fall under State purview.




How then, one wonders, the Central Government is railroading these laws in the Parliament calling them Agriculture Reforms? If Agriculture needs reforms, let the State enacts its own law, consulting its own farmers. We won't get any farmer agitation that way. Each State can sit with its farmers and work its policies.




Even the Mandi issue will be addressed if the Centre stops encroaching on the Federal Structure. In Bihar, the farmers were okay with the closure of Mandis (agriculture marketplaces). In Punjab, we have a powerful Mandi System. So Bihar can opt-out of it, and Punjab, whose farmers want it, can work with the State authorities to empower it. 




The whole issue is standing on the Central Govt's stubbornness, not recognizing the Constitution and bullying the State Governments to tow the line. They should have guided the local governments to amend local laws based on local realities. By not respecting the Constitution's boundaries, it appears they were not even authorized to bring these laws into effect. 




Now let us move on to the Farmers protesting against these laws. I am reading much weird stuff like why are they sitting on roads, why are they protesting when a legitimate government has made these Acts for them.




We have to understand here what our Constitution, the law of our land, says about this. Article 19(1)(a) guarantees the freedom of speech and expression; Article 19(1)(b) assures citizens the Right to assemble peaceably and without arms. Article 19(2) imposes reasonable restrictions on the Right to assemble peaceably and without arms.




If the farmers, who are without any arms, who had not participated in any violence since June when the protests started, are being bullied by the Mainstream Media and the Indian State, it's wrong.

The Farm Laws might be wrong or right in the language. We can argue against them or for them. You cannot tell the farmers that they cannot protest. The tear gases, the use of barriers, water cannons, and the police's brute force are entirely wrong. It also belies the intentions of the State. If it is openly harassing the protestor, how can one believe that it has their best interests in the heart? Again, a suitable place agreeable to all sides should be allocated to the protestors to conduct a peaceful protest. 




You don't need to be an expert to figure out that the Fundamental Right of Peaceful Protest is being violated here. It is not about picking aside. It is about going by the Constitution. India might be the largest democracy on this Planet. But it is only so if we follow what the Constitution has laid down for us.










Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Also read

Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Why does Mrs Dalloway still speak to you after a hundred years? A human reading of Virginia Woolf’s novel A reflective and thoughtful review of Mrs Dalloway that explores why Virginia Woolf’s modernist classic continues to resonate. From memory and mental health to love, regret, and time, this article examines characters, themes, context, and craft while questioning whether the novel still challenges and comforts today’s reader. Why does a novel about one ordinary day linger in your mind for years? This long form review of Mrs Dalloway explores through its quiet power. You will find analysis, critique, history, and personal reflection on why this book continues to unsettle and comfort readers alike. Can a single ordinary day hold an entire life? Have you ever reached the end of a day and wondered where it went, and more unsettlingly, where you went within it? That question sits at the heart of Mrs Dalloway , Virginia Woolf’s 1925 novel that dares to suggest that the smallest moment...
Post a Comment
Read more

Spill the Tea: Noor and the Silence After Doing Everything right

Noor has done everything she was supposed to do — moved out, built a life, stayed independent. Yet beneath the neat routines and functional success lies a quiet emptiness she cannot name. Part of the Spill the Tea series, this story explores high-functioning loneliness, emotional flatness, and the unsettling fear of living a life that looks complete from the outside. The verandah was brighter than Noor expected. Morning light lay flat across the tiles, showing every faint scuff mark, every water stain from old monsoons. The air smelled of detergent from a neighbour’s washed curtains flapping overhead. On the table, the paneer patties waited in a cardboard bakery box I’d emptied onto a plate. A squeeze bottle of ketchup stood beside it, slightly sticky around the cap. Two cups of tea, steam already thinning. In one corner, a bamboo palm stood in a large terracotta planter. Thin stems. Too many leaves. Trying very hard to look like it belonged indoors. Noor sat down and pulled the chair ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cutting people off isn’t strength—It is a trauma response

Your ability to cut people off and self-isolate is not a skill you should be proud of—It is a trauma response Cutting people off and self-isolating may feel like a protective shield, but it is often rooted in unresolved or unhealed trauma and an inability to depend on others. While these behaviors seem like self-preservation, they end up reinforcing isolation and blocking meaningful connections. Confronting these patterns, seeking therapy, and nurturing supportive relationships can help break this unhealthy cycle. Plus, a simple act like planting a jasmine plant can symbolise the start of your journey towards emotional healing. Why do we cut people off and isolate? If you’re someone who prides themselves on “cutting people off” or keeping a tight circle, you might believe it’s a skill—a way to protect yourself from betrayal, hurt, or unnecessary drama. I get it. I’ve been there, too. But here’s the thing: this ability to isolate yourself is not as empowering as it may seem. In fact, i...
1 comment
Read more