The Second Coming of Narendra Modi and the Incalculable Suffering of Indian People

Vijoo Krishnan, Joint Secretary, All India Kisan Sabha

The Illusion of Good Days

Six years ago, as India went into the elections a propaganda blitzkrieg was made around the image of Narendra Modi who was peddled as the deliverer of Indian people from all that ailed the nation till then. The corporate media and the Sangh Parivar refashioned the Nero of Gujarat as a “Vikas Purush” and hyped up a “Gujarat Model” turning the dusty lanes of the State to Shanghai with the click of a button and Photoshop. It was touted as “The Vision India Awaits” and loudly proclaimed: “More jobs, lower inflation, higher income, faster growing economy, better education, better safety, better life”. This was followed up with a high pitched campaign with ample support from the corporate media promising the stars to the people reeling under poverty, unemployment, agrarian crisis, price rise and corruption under the Congress-led UPA-II Government. They had raised hopes of different sections with attractive promises, a consistent advertisement campaign funded by the corporate monopolies and ample help from the corporate media. The BJP Manifesto and campaign came up with attractive promises and created an illusion of bounty with the claim achhe din ayenge or good days would come. Narendra Modi himself led the charge effectively weaving an illusion of impending achhe din for all, fifteen lakh into everyone’s account, doubling farmers’ incomes, two crore jobs would be created for youth every year, farmers would get har khet ko paani (water to every field) and one and a half times the cost of production as the price for their crops, an end to price rise and atrocities on women, better wages and a wonderland where farmers would no longer be forced to commit suicide. Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas (a government with everyone that would usher in development for everyone) would be the approach and all States would benefit from cooperative federalism it was claimed. The campaign and lucrative promises helped them to successfully lure a section of the peasantry and the poor. The effort was to sell a dream to every person and many actually bought it.

A Nightmare Unfolds

The five years from 2014–2019 saw more than 60,000 farmers in distress committing suicide as per the conservative estimates of the Government, unemployment at a 45 year high, sale of profit making Public Sector Undertakings, incessant price rise, loss of incomes for workers and peasantry. For the first time ever PSUs like BSNL, HAL etc. were unable to pay wages to workers and thousands were forced to opt for VRS. Demonetisation hit farmers and all toiling masses badly and prices of all crops crashed after this disastrous decision. Thousands were rendered unemployed, indebtedness increased and hunger deaths also were reported. Prices of agricultural inputs, essential goods, petrol and diesel have also risen incessantly. The GST has also hit the workers, the peasantry and rural poor badly. All measures of the Narendra Modi-led BJP were aimed at aiding corporate profiteering at the expense of the people. Five years of BJP rule under Narendra Modi has effectively derailed agriculture the “engine of India’s economic growth” as the BJP Manifesto had deemed it. Attractively branded schemes like Make In India, Start Up India, Stand Up India came a cropper and failed to make things look up. The number of wilful defaulters in nationalised banks increased by over 60 per cent, touching 8,582 in five years and top fifty among them had caused write-offs of around Rs.68,600 crores. Lakhs of crores of concessions were also given to the corporate companies. The Ambanis, Adanis and their ilk increased their wealth while the workers and peasants were in distress. Economic recession loomed large due to the promotion of crony capitalism and agrarian crisis was also acute. Yet using a potent cocktail of xenophobic ultra-nationalism post the Pulwama-Balakot developments, communal polarisation and propaganda aided by corporate media, huge electoral spending reportedly over Rs.27,000 crores an image of invincibility was recreated around the persona of Narendra Modi. This aided a second coming for the BJP under Narendra Modi with an increased mandate.

The Second Act: A Farce on the People

Karl Marx in his Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte paraphrased Hegel to say history repeats itself, the first time as tragedy and the second time as farce. The second coming of Narendra Modi led BJP has in just one year proved to be a farce enacted on the people of India. The first year of the second coming of the BJP Government led by Narendra Modi has seen an even more aggressive pursuit of Neoliberal Economic policies. The Indian economy plunged deeper into a recession, people lost jobs and unemployment continued to increase. Millions of jobs were lost in the textile industry, automobile industry as well as in the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Sector. No new jobs were being created and also rural employment generation through MGNREGA was in a dismal situation. Agrarian distress continued unabated and farm suicides continued to remain high. Yet the BJP Government was pursuing Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with countries like USA, European Union and the Mega FTA called Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with ASEAN countries, China, Australia, New Zealand etc. Pursuing the policies of the earlier regime Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) was allowed into all sectors. While this has been the case of the economy, the BJP Government went ahead with the hard-core Sangh Parivar agenda and sought to divert attention by abrogation of Article 370, bringing the polarising Citizenship (Amendment) Act, criminalisation of triple Talaq and unleashing the most brutal attack on democratic protests. Communal attacks increased and voices of dissent were suppressed by unleashing repressive action. It is in such a context that the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world, leave a deep scar in India that we are yet to fully unravel.

Ruling Class Apathy Amidst The Pandemic and Distress of the Masses

The world is facing an extraordinary health situation which has had a cascading effect on the economy, the politics and social life of every country. COVID 19 Pandemic has brought India also to the brink of probably the biggest challenge in recent times. The COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown have further exposed the fragility of the Neoliberal model and farmers as well as workers are among the worst hit. Millions of toiling masses-the peasantry, agricultural workers, migrant workers and oppressed sections are threatened not just by the virus alone but by loss of livelihoods, loss of incomes, unemployment, poverty and hunger. The unplanned, unscientific and abrupt lockdown has destroyed both the economy and the livelihood of a large majority of our people. A GDP nosedive of 23.9% bears reflects the nightmare of the present, with a dark future awaiting us if we chart this course.

All Gates Unlocked for Corporate Profiteering

Even at this juncture, sections of ruling class have been rejoicing claiming that the crisis has provided the best opportunity for pursuing Neoliberal reforms more aggressively. “Now or never”, “we will never get this opportunity again, seize it” clamoured the Niti Ayog CEO Amitabh Kant calling for labour reforms, freezing a vast number of acts, giving unbridled flexibility to industries as well as market reforms and corporatisation of agriculture. Even the media hailed the changes in agriculture as “the 1991 moment for agriculture” The Prime Minister led the charge by emphasising on a farcical Rs.20 lakh crore package which would touch upon four Ls –Land, Labour, Liquidity and Law for ensuring “Atmanirbhar Bharat” or self-reliant India. Ironically the BJP Government spoke of self-reliance even as it opened the gates for FDI in all sectors including defence automatically up to 74 per cent, unbridled privatisation, opened up markets and resources for plunder by private capital while land, labour and market laws were changed as per the demands of the capitalists. Railways, Ordnance factories, BSNL, Air India etc are all up for sale and outright loot of national assets including mineral wealth is taking place. Land reform laws are being amended to allow corporate take-over of agricultural land, Environmental Impact Assessment draft opens up natural resources for corporate plunder and contract farming is being promoted.

The retrograde anti-labour exercise of the BJP Government towards virtual nullification of most of the substantive laws over the last six years aimed at total abrogation of the internationally recognised provisions like eight hour working day, Right to Freedom of Association and Right to Collective Bargaining, also guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. During its last term, the BJP Government fast tracked the process of dismantling the labour laws that provided some protection to the workers, though to a very small section mostly in the organised sector. It embarked upon codification of the 44 central labour laws into 4 codes. Now taking pretext of the lockdown at the behest of the corporate companies at least 13 States ruled by the BJP, the Congress and even different regional parties have increased working hours per day to 12 hours or 72 hours a week and scrapped most of the labour laws which were the result of intense struggles of the working class.

On 3rd June, 2020 the BJP Government promulgated three Ordinances that are an onslaught on the farmers and an aggressive pursuit of neoliberal economic policies. It will effectively disempower farmers and usher in Company Raj in agriculture. They are a direct attack against federal principles and infringes on the rights of the State Governments. Though agriculture is a State subject under the Indian Constitution, the Centre is seeking to override the States and centralising all powers in its hands. All regulation or controls on private players and agribusinesses will be removed and farmers will be put at the mercy of agribusinesses, large retailers and exporters. Market regulations were introduced in the 1960s and 1970s to put a check on the monopoly powers of large traders and big buyers as well as end exploitation of farmer in price fixation, grading, weighing and payments. The new changes will in effect finish the support system of Minimum Support Price and public procurement. It is not restrictions in marketing that is causing distress of farmers; it is rather the absence of remunerative prices and assured procurement that is leading to distress. Amendments to the Essential Commodities Act remove commodities like cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities. This will not only emerge as a threat to food security but also allow traders and agribusinesses to buy unlimited quantity directly from farmers and hoard even in times of emergencies. The consumers will be affected and we can visualise artificial scarcity, hoarding and black-marketing as well as price rise with such uncontrolled field for the agribusinesses. ‘The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020’ so attractively packaged claims that it will empower farmers to engage with processors, aggregators, wholesalers, large retailers and exporters on a level playing field without any fear of exploitation. Can one imagine a level playing field between agribusinesses like Pepsico, Walmart, Reliance Fresh and a poor indebted farmer or tenant cultivator? They will only shed crocodile tears after finishing off the peasantry. It talks of price assurance when in reality the Central Government has deregulated the markets and withdrawn its commitment to price support and procurement. Nowhere in the Ordinance does it say prices given by a trader or agribusiness to the farmer cannot go below the MSP.

We have seen the denial of hard-won rights of the workers in States ruled by the BJP, Congress and regional parties. Land Reform laws are being changed and corporate Companies are being given free hand to buy agricultural land or lease land. APMC Act and ECA have been turned into mere pieces of paper. All these actions being taken during a pandemic and extreme human misery is also being given legal sanction by tampering with existing laws. When the whole world is questioning the neoliberal policies, the Indian ruling classes are pursuing it more aggressively. This is being accompanied by communal polarisation, repression on democratic movements and increased curbs on protests. This is the farce that is unfolding under the second coming of Narendra Modi.

The Way Forward

When the entire peasantry and toiling masses have been rendered without earning due to the unplanned Lockdown, rather than helping them with income support, loan waivers, providing foodgrains, generating employment and health facilities the BJP Government is only showering unending benefits as well as concessions to the corporate companies. Incentives to corporates cannot protect the vulnerable sections; the fundamental issues of the masses need to be addressed. States are in the forefront of the fight against the COVID 19 Pandemic. A Financial Package to States to deal with the extraordinary situation must be announced forthwith. Crop and income losses due to the lockdown must be compensated. Loss of incomes of the peasantry and toiling masses has to be addressed by income support of at least Rs.7,500 per month to all non-tax paying, poor people in India. Peasantry including landless, small, middle peasantry, tenant farmers and agricultural workers must be immediately given debt relief and a full loan waiver. Crops including perishable crops and livestock products such as milk, eggs and meat must be assured of remunerative prices as per C2+50% formula and procurement must be ensured. Free seeds, affordable inputs and interest free loans for the next season must be ensured. The PM-KISAN amount must be increased to Rs.18,000/- per year bringing all tenant farmers and Adivasi farmers also under its purview. Unemployment wages clause under MGNREGA should be used to give all agricultural workers Rs.300/- per day or the Minimum wage in the State, whichever is higher. Following the Kerala example other than food grains all essentials like cooking oil, sugar, pulses, tea, salt, spices etc., have to be given to all. Rather than facilitating corporate loot and dependence on FDI, the government must ensure cooperative farming by promoting cooperatives of the peasantry and agriculture workers. In addition, emphasis should be given to infrastructure development in terms of cold storages and promotion of processing, value addition and marketing through cooperatives with public investment. Protection of traditional agro-based industry and addressing the safety of workers involved in procurement and market operations by ensuring access to adequate safety equipment and gear need to be emphasised. Universal health, education, public distribution and comprehensive social security with State spending needs to be put firmly on the national agenda.

The three Ordinances and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020 were burnt in protest in more than 3500 centres across India. Massive protests have taken place in the coal blocks and in the defence sector against opening the doors for corporate profiteering. United struggles by workers, peasants and agricultural workers have been going on and a plan has been worked out for taking up elaborate struggles. On 7th and 8th August Scheme Workers like Anganwadi workers, ASHA and Mid-Day Meal Workers have had protests across the country. Even workers in the IT sector are coming out in solidarity with such struggles. New solidarities are emerging and coordinated united action of the working class, peasantry and oppressed are emerging. On August 9th, 2020, the anniversary of Quit India Movement massive united struggles have been planned with the slogan “India Is Not For Sale; Save India. Stop Corporate Loot”. Already the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee with over 250 organisations and the Bhumi Adhikar Andolan have extended solidarity and decided to participate in these struggles. United struggles on the basis of broad issue-based unity with Worker-Peasant alliance as the core and including all oppressed, the youth, women and students will pave the way to resist these policies and build support for a pro-people alternative. Let us all work in that direction, let us all speak up.