“If the legislature proves itself to be incapable of safeguarding kisans’ interests they will of course always have the sovereign remedy of civil disobedience and non-co-operation.”
The above passage has not been authored by someone keeping in mind the ongoing farmers’ agitation on the Punjab-Haryana border in face of the Haryana BJP regime employing very harsh punitive measures against the protestors.
Notably, farmers are being unlawfully prevented from proceeding to Delhi and are protesting against the Narendra Modi government for its failure to meet their demands, one of which is the enactment of a law for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for some crops as per the formula of late M.S. Swaminathan who has been chosen by the Modi regime for the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian honour.
Gandhi’s words and vision
The aforementioned passage is from Mahatma Gandhi.
On October 2, 1944, Gandhi was asked questions regarding the future role of the State in dealing with the issues of farmers in an interview by freedom fighter and peasant leader N.G. Ranga.
Gandhi said that the peasant “has so to work as to make it impossible for the landlord to exploit him”.
Subsequently, Ranga asked if that included farmers’ satyagraha campaigns and the legislative and administrative reforms that the State would undertake because of the exercise of their franchise and political influence to improve their individual and collective conditions and minimise the powers of the landlords.
To answer the question, very presciently, Gandhi said, “Civil disobedience and non-co-operation are designed for use when people, i.e., the tillers of the soil, have no political power.” “But immediately they have political power,” he asserted, “naturally their grievances, whatever their character, will be ameliorated through legislative channels.”
Gandhi, however, was very much conscious of the possibilities when the farmers would be bereft of any power. Therefore, he cautioned that in case the peasants would not get an opportunity to give primacy to their voices, “the interests of the tiller of the soil will need close watching.”
He then proceeded to add very forcefully, “If the legislature proves itself to be incapable of safeguarding kisans’ interests they will of course always have the sovereign remedy of civil disobedience and non-co-operation.”
Further, Gandhi said, “…it is not paper legislation nor brave words or fiery speeches, but the power of non-violent organisation, discipline and sacrifice that constitutes the real bulwark of the people against injustice or oppression”.
That “sovereign remedy of civil disobedience and non-co-operation” got vey vividly reflected in the year-long peaceful and non-violent movement of farmers in 2021 in response to the passage of the farm laws by Parliament without consulting the farmers and dispensing the actual voting process in the Rajya Sabha as mandated by the Constitution. That historic movement forced Modi regime to repeal those laws.
Yet again the farmers are resorting to the movement to come to Delhi and exercise their constitutional right to protest so that their demands are met and a law is enacted on the issue of MSP. Brutal resistance to that movement by the BJP regime in Haryana has resulted in, as per media reports, injury to many farmers, loss of eye sight to several of them and deaths to many.
Gandhi’s words – “it is not paper legislation nor brave words or fiery speeches, but the power of non-violent organisation, discipline and sacrifice that constitutes the real bulwark of the people against injustice or oppression” – is reflected in the movement of the farmers as they have appealed to their fellow participants to remain peaceful.
Modi must be mindful
While none of the farmers or farm leaders have been reported to have invoked Gandhi, but their agitation – launched 79 years after what Gandhi had said to Ranga in that interview – spirit and resolute action animates Gandhi’s words.
Prime Minister Modi takes pride in telling foreign dignitaries that he hails from “Gandhi Ke Desh” (the country of Gandhi), so should be mindful of Gandhi’s words and vision and pay heed to the legitimate demands of the farmers.
While Gandhi stated that non-cooperation and civil disobedience constituted sovereign remedies, Ambedkar in early 1940s gave a stirring slogan: “Educate, Agitate and Organise”.
Modi very sarcastically used the term “Andolonjeevi” – those who earn through agitation – when the farmers’ agitation was at its peak in 2022. It was an offence to Ambedkar’s vision embodied in the slogan which has been described by professor Amartya Sen as the key to deepen public reasoning for the sustenance of democracy.
Gandhi and Ambedkar are being assaulted by the forceful suppression of the movement of farmers. Allowing them to protest in Delhi and remaining sensitive to their demands would mean a real tribute to the vision of Gandhi and Ambedkar.
S.N. Sahu served as Officer on Special Duty to President of India K.R. Narayanan.
