As Amit Shah talks to Farmers, 'No beech ka rasta' says Yogendra Yadav | Barkha Dutt

Farmers Protest Intensifies; Bharat Bandh Today, What Next
As farmers protest intensifies, Bharat Bandh was declared today. What is the way ahead for the protesting farmers? Swaraj India's Yogendra Yadav speaks to Barkha Dutt and throws some light over the matter.

#FarmersProtest #BharatBandh #YogendraYadav

[kallachi]

I often wonder about the role of liberals, activists and “experts” in a democracy. Really...just hyperactive ventilation..no matter

[terapeo]

These are the same fools who were against manmohan singh for opening up the economy way back in 1991.

[Piedpiper]

So Modi implemented what the opposition and agri experts wanted and now everyone is mad at him?

[--..--.-.]

Why beg and PLEAD? Aren't these ministers elected to SERVE us? For whom are they making these laws if the citizens don't want it. Laws for farmers without farmers consent or support? Who are they working for? For themselves and their wealthy friends.

[swaminathan]

I am still not clear about the issues involved in the Farmer's agitation. So, I asked a friend of mine, who besides engineering is a farmer from Abohar - Fazilka region of Punjab. Now, after retirement he is a full time farmer.
This is what he told me.
"I have been actively farming for almost two decades now and I have witnessed many things happen at APMC’s.

I have seen classifications of C grade grain miraculously change into B grade grain.

Similarly I have also witnessed the weigh bridge weigh in the empty truck at 39 tons and the full truck at 55 tons and later found that the unloaded truck weighed 43 tons at another weigh bridge.

Yes I know, you know what I know. Yet, let me tell you more about what you may already know.

There are over 30, 000 registered adtiyas in Punjab.

These 30, 000 employ another 300, 000 sub agents or sidekicks or people who wouldn’t have made it into doing anything anyplace were it not for the patronage network of these 30, 000.

There are only 1500 farming villages in Punjab.

330, 000 / 1500 is about 220 people on average per village doing the work of middlemen.

Why is this the case?

It’s a long story but someone needs to begin talking about this at some time.

We had a food shortage and a ship to mouth existence until the 1970’s.

Norman Borlaugh pioneered a variety of wheat which gave 10 X the yield but needed 3X the fertiliser.

The Punjab was chosen as the battleground against hunger. Enterprising Sikh farmers worked hard to Create what we know as the green revolution.

Since there were huge shortages. Laws were made which didn’t allow for stockholding or selling at farm gates.

Essential Commodities Act
APMC Act (farmers were compelled to sell only at APMC’s to licensed traders - remember license permit quota Raj?)

As an assurance to the farmer for his hard work. Minimum Support Prices were guaranteed.

No matter what the quantum. Sarkar would pick it up and provide farmers with a minimum amount as compensation per quintal or ton as the case maybe.

Getting money out of the sarkari treasury is a muck filled process. Thus was born the breed of middle men who walked the corridors of bureaucracy, government and worked corrupt sarkari babus.

political patronage networks flourished.

220 : 1 is the ratio of middlemen to a single village in Punjab today.

This business got integrated backwards.

Corruption was professionalised.

For instance, I have in my circle of influence or immediate family, folks who own very large tracts of land. (100 acre plus holding).

The thekedar comes and takes the theka of growing on the land. For those unfamiliar with the word, Theka it’s also referred to as contract. I know there are grumblings about corporates contracting with farmers directly now. I also know why. You should too.

Anyways; to cut a long story short.
Plenty Farmers do, not much except receive their due at the end of each cropping season.

What is grown?
What grade or quality?
For how much is it sold?
Would it have fetched the similar price in the open market?
Where is it sold?
How is it sold?
Who’s the end beneficiary?
Does anybody consume it or does it go to waste?
Was there a better way to do what’s being done?

All the above is none of my business or yours.

As long as you receive your cheque.
Why do you care?

The Jamkhedkar committee meanwhile reports that over 40% of the grain acquired under MSP by FCI is either unfit for consumption or is simply wasted.

All Told, One out of every Two kilos acquired is wasted.

Years of perfidy have today given birth to this.

MSP has ensured that there is no necessity to seek profitable enterprise.

It’s also given birth to the patronage networks which survive off the sarkari teat and refuse to breakaway.

It’s given rise to a political class which thrives and survives of being Specialist Corrupt Thugs.

There was no sunset clause on this. Nobody foresaw a time of surplus production on food grains.

Result; all other states such as Haryana, UP, Bihar, Rajasthan & MP all produce surfeits of Grain. They also have their own MSP mechanisms which have proliferated and created similar political patronage networks.

Since more is acquired at Mandis in Punjab. Remember the central government promise. Grain from UP and or Bihar also finds its ways into the mandi system of Punjab.

The trucks being under weight and over paid for and the grades changing are common place practise, you can go for a few days to the mandi and figure out how to make a killing by doing this. I don’t advise it, this is what the system is current day. I advise, Try doing truthful clean work. It’s more fulfilling.

Soon enough, you’ll also be one of those “know it all’s” in the mandi who doesn’t talk to others. After all information is power.

All this is paid for by you dear tax payer.

The annual bill for this is approximately 8 lakh crores.

Why don’t the farmers grow something else.
Something more profitable.

If I’m being paid for doing precisely nothing.

Why bother with competing.

Where is the incentive to compete?

I would rather go and picket the roads leading into Delhi to ensure that the existing system isn’t threatened."

[thetramp]

Very communicative discussion ! जय किसान ❤️!👍🙏

[devmate]

"Do not pass laws without consulting the stakeholders" ... 18:20 ..Wow ..If only the Government had done this single thing ... We could have saved ourselves of countless miseries from Demonetization, GST ... Anyway .. A great interview.. Enjoyed Yogendra Yadav's clear articulation of the farmer's requests ...

[nsbumb]

'Rail roko' at Buldana! There is no railway at Buldana. Make your facts right Mr Yadav.

[sanjayhattangadi]

Yogendra Yadav is the expert in all fields. He is an allrounder, but jack of all trades and master of none. He says this is not politically motivated. But he himself is the president of Swaraj India which contested in Haryana Assembly last year and got the worst kind of beating. I don't know in how many seats he had yeild the security deposits.

[rajansrivasatava]

yogendra type of people is weeping in his entire life and want to ohers same

[sadhusuman]

Every political party is seeing a narrow poliyical gain at the cost of country and farmers. Including Yoginder yadav

[mohinigore]

Yogendraji, we Mulbhut Adhikar Sangharsh Samiti ( MASS ), Pen-Raigad, Maharashtrat supported 8/12 farmers Bharat band and we are with farmers in each step.

[hirendesai]

I waited and got disappointed because there is no word on what is wrong with the laws

[HumanBeingsRThinkingBeings]

Mind Begs the Question:
If a PM/Govt
Will only give Speeches, Monologues
Will not give Answers
Sign of - Democracy, Dictatorship?

[alexandersamuel]

Absolutely right we should thank God, Anna hazare and some other faces are not there in this struggle. They would if this struggle was part of rss plan

[anilnavani]

Punjab corners a disproportionate chunk of MSP buying. What about other states? A law must be introduced guaranteeing the rights of other states too for MSP purchases so that they can get a fair share. Even they can grow the same crops or other useful crops. Why should one state get more benefits than others? There’s more to crops than only wheat and rice, half of which rot away anyways. What a waste of taxpayer money.

[ahamasmiarinm]

I guess I would hear Yogendra only after seeing his reaction on Yograj's atrocious speech, and till date, it seems he conforms by choosing to remain silent. Farmers protest my foot.

Just one thing I would like people to think. Punjab already has a "Cancer Express" and I pray it doesn't need a "TB Express" or a "Water Express" in future, given their current practices of farming and their choice of crops. I guess The Cancer Express is occupied mostly by people of Punjab only. I hope the the farmers can contemplate more on this and the future lying ahead against their "poverty", Punjab being the region where some of the earliest and the biggest showrooms of Merc & BMW exists.

[Mathrubhootham]

Indeed Aravind Kejriwal and Owaisi are 2 huge distractions

[ramnitkaur]

What an intelligent man ....worthy leader of protests . Thanks for responsible and smart reporting, barkha ma’am .❤️

[DeepakShah]

Why journos keep impressing upon that govt shall not repel the farms laws.