h n

Dhirendra Jha: ‘Government has lost its credibility … inclusive agenda of farmers’ movement mattered a lot’

There is little doubt that the 60 per cent of the population that sustain Indian agriculture are mainly Dalits and Backwards. Most of them are landless. A large number of them don’t even have land to build a house on, says Dhirendra Jha, national president of Akhil Bharatiya Khet Evam Grameen Mazdoor Sabha

On 19 November 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his government will be repealing the three contentious farm laws. This is being touted as a momentous decision. Is the move merely an election gimmick or will it really be a game changer for the peasants of India? What role did the small farmers and farm labourers from Dalit and OBC communities play in the movement against the farm laws and what are the issues facing them now? Dhirendra Jha, national president of Akhil Bharatiya Khet Evam Grameen Mazdoor Sabha, spoke with FORWARD Press Hindi Editor Nawal Kishore Kumar. Edited excerpts:

What is your first reaction to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement regarding repeal of the farm laws? 

It is certainly a big victory. The entire farming community had forged a joint front to oppose the pro-corporate policies of the Modi dispensation and their victory has proved that even a fascist government has to bow before a mass movement against any measure. In this sense, it is a major victory. I salute all those who had joined the protest. But this victory is not complete. Many battles lie ahead. For instance, a new law is needed to ensure that the farmers get the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce. Also, the way the corporate sector is interfering with policymaking shows that the danger looming large over the food-producers has far from receded. Then, there are issues related to farm labourers and small and tenant farmers. 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: Dhirendra Jha: ‘Government has lost its credibility … inclusive agenda of farmers’ movement mattered a lot’

लेखक के बारे में

नवल किशोर कुमार

नवल किशोर कुमार फॉरवर्ड प्रेस के संपादक (हिन्दी) हैं।

संबंधित आलेख

‘Dabba Cartel’: Amid drug trafficking, an exciting entanglement of class and gender questions
The women coming together to run a drug business disguised as a ‘dabba’ service has us wondering whether the old doctrine of class struggle...
K.K. Kochu and his struggle to redeem human dignity
One of the foremost Dalit thinkers of Kerala K.K. Kochu, 76, passed away on 13 March 2025. Historian Vinil Paul recalls his enduring contributions...
Economic redistribution through democratic politics
The modern version of redistributive politics is concerned with redistribution of income and other forms of material welfare. Caste census will play a decisive...
Does Mahakumbh no-show confirm Rahul Gandhi as a believer in social justice?
By not taking a dip in the Ganga, Rahul Gandhi has finally mustered the courage to show which side he is on. He is...
A Christian burial in Chhattisgarh: Supreme Court rules in favour of ‘Hindu’ Adivasis
The family members of the deceased faced discrimination and socio-economic boycott because they happen to be Christians. The family have been Christians for the...