In his reply to the discussion on the President’s address in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Prime Minister held out an olive branch to the farmers’ agitating against the new farm laws. He stressed on the need to continue a dialogue and for the farmers to have an open mind on the subject. It was reiteration on his part of the government stand that, short of withdrawing the laws altogether, any other changes could be considered. There is no doubt that it is the government that has been flexible in this regard, even as the farmers have been insisting on nothing short of repealing the laws. Even further, they have added on the demand for a law on perpetuating MSP.
The PM also warned against the ‘Andolanjivis’, who basically live off any agitation. This is indeed true as an economy has been built and grown over the years that obtains foreign funding in the name of social activism. This requires the construction and marketing of a narrative in foreign lands about the intrinsically unjust nature of Indian society. Of late, even the nation’s democracy has been vilified as faulty, blaming it for the rise of ‘fascist’ forces. Modi has been projected as some kind of a monster trampling upon the rights of minorities and backward sections.
There are any number of agencies and foundations – some genuinely sincere – that are willing to fund such movements. (Mega global corporations have moved into this space in a big way.) Some have always been fronts for deeper vested interests – from intelligence gathering, ideological indoctrination, to evangelisation of various sorts – hoping to create and exploit fractures in Indian society. The parasitic elements have been more than happy to serve their agendas as long as they could make a living off it. It may be noted that beyond charity and other handouts, very few such organisations have worked on the real challenge – boosting India’s grassroots economy through intelligent interventions that develop self-reliance.
Recent events have shown how, in the age of internet connectivity and social media, the depth of access this anti-India eco-system has achieved. Operating from the safety of foreign shores, they pursue their hidden agendas behind the smoke-screen of noble principles. The powerful nations that support them are happy to use them as leverage against India, which is not surprising. However, it is important for Indians to be informed and aware of their activities so that they do not infiltrate genuine democratic protests and take them over for their own purposes. This is sincere counsel from the Prime Minister to the agitating farmers.
