Ploughing Backwards

Repeated farmer protests in Punjab which masquerade as a movement for rights risks derailing the state’s economy and deepening its political woes.

Punjab

The protests by Punjab’s farmers have once again exposed the enduring grip of regressive populism on Indian politics. Far from being a genuine movement for agricultural reform, these demonstrations reflect an unwillingness to embrace necessary economic change. With the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and other farmer unions mobilizing protests across the country, ostensibly against ‘repression’ by the Punjab government, the movement has now taken on a performative character, detached from the larger economic reality of the state and the nation. The recent clearing of protest sites at the Punjab-Haryana border signals a long-overdue pushback against an agitation that has outlived both its credibility and its public sympathy.

This latest round of demonstrations stems from the same demand that triggered the 2020-21 protests: a legally guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) for crops. This is a deeply flawed demand. An MSP guarantee in perpetuity would entrench inefficiencies in Indian agriculture, burdening government procurement systems and distorting market prices. Punjab’s farmers, disproportionately reliant on wheat and rice cultivation, already benefit from government procurement at rates that far exceed market prices, often at the expense of taxpayers and long-term agricultural sustainability. Encouraging diversification into less water-intensive crops and reducing subsidies for wasteful farming practices would serve Punjab’s interests far better.

The political undertones of this agitation cannot be ignored. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government in Punjab finds itself in an unenviable position. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s decision to crack down on the protests and the dismantling of protest camps at Shambhu and Khanauri marks a stark departure from AAP’s earlier sympathetic stance towards farmer protests. The timing of this shift is telling. Speculation abounds that Mann, under pressure from either his party leadership or the central government, was forced to take a harder line. Some suggest that AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, known for his political manoeuvring, is attempting to sideline Mann by forcing him into an unpopular position with Punjab’s powerful farming community. Others believe the Centre, wary of another prolonged agitation, compelled the Punjab government to act or face the prospect of President’s Rule. Regardless of the motivations, Mann’s decision to confront the protesters has drawn predictable criticism from opposition parties, but in reality has provided relief to industries and commuters.

Beyond domestic politics, there have long been allegations that foreign interests are influencing these protests. The notion that overseas networks, including entities linked to George Soros and other global financiers, may have played a role in amplifying unrest cannot be dismissed outright.

The protests also reflect an enduring refusal among Punjab’s farm unions to acknowledge changing economic realities. India cannot afford to cling to a procurement system that is neither financially viable nor environmentally sustainable. The World Bank, the NITI Aayog and independent economists have long warned against excessive reliance on MSP-driven procurement, yet farmer unions continue to reject every attempt at reform. Each time the government proposes alternatives, the unions move the goalposts, ensuring that no meaningful negotiation can take place.

At the heart of this problem lies an uncomfortable truth: these protests are not about securing a better future for farmers. They are about preserving an outdated and unsustainable economic model that benefits a narrow section of the farming community at the expense of long-term agricultural health. The leaders of these protests, aware of their diminishing public support, have sought to revive the movement under the guise of ‘police repression.’ But the reality is that the protests have already extracted their political and economic costs. Punjab’s industrialists, traders and ordinary citizens, many of whom suffered severe losses during the 2020-21 agitation, are relieved to see action taken against these blockades.

If the farmer unions were truly interested in progress, they would push for investment in agricultural innovation rather than holding the state hostage with unrealistic demands. Instead, they persist with tactics that recall the worst of India’s obstructionist political culture.