Thread by @anbezhil12

#FarmersAgitation #FarmerPolitics #FarmersProtestHijacked Learn the truth.
Arhtiyas (commission agents) who have been the main link between farmers and procurement agencies in the two states of Punjab and Haryana, launched their campaign against the Centre’s agri-marketing

ordinances early as the three bills cleared by Parliament will adversely affect their business. There are over 30,000 registered Arhtiyas in Punjab and Haryana who are deeply entrenched in the system. They exercise a strong influence on agricultural activities and the politics of

both states. These 30,000 employ another 300,000 sub agents or sidekicks or people who would not have made it into doing anything anyplace were it not for the patronage network of these 30,000. But 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?
We had a food shortage and a ship to mouth existence until the 1970’s. Norman Borlaug 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 was. Sarkar would pick up the produce and provide farmers with a minimum

amount as compensation per quintal or ton as the case maybe. Getting money out of the government 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. There was no sunset clause on this. Nobody foresaw a time of surplus production on food grains. As a 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 thekedar comes and takes the theka of growing on

the land. For those unfamiliar with the word Theka it is also referred to as contract. There are grumblings about corporates contracting with farmers directly now. The reason is plenty of farmers do not much except receive their due at the end of each cropping season.
220 : 1 is

the ratio of middlemen to a single village in Punjab today. This business got integrated backwards. Corruption has been institutionalized. In both states, the commission agents double up as moneylenders and are known as ATMs of farmers. They financed 67% of the loans in unbanked

villages and 55% of the loans in areas where there is a bank in Punjab. That is why despite attempts to promote farmer producer organisations FPOs farmers preferred to fall back on commission agents. Significantly a large number of senior politicians in Haryana including the

families of former chief misters Bhajan Lal and O.P. Chautala were involved in the arhtiya business and had shops in Adampur and Sisa markets. 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. 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 is also given birth to the patronage networks which survive off the sarkari teat and refuse

to breakaway. It has given rise to a political class which thrives and survives of being Specialist Corrupt Thugs. 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. All this is paid for by us tax payers. 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 is not threatened. Not only this the wheat that rots in the godowns of FCI are being sold at a very low price. It is bought by the breweries to make alcohol

owned by the same politicians who oppose these bills and as you may know the most alcohol consumption is in the state of Punjab. Pay attention to the farmer's movement of Punjab, where the green flag is hoisted while shouting slogans of Pakistan Zindabad; putting pictures of

Khalistani terrorists, anti-national slogans are shouted Indira Gandhi was blown, Modi will also blow. This is how calls are being made (it is all on YouTube.) Wise people understand that farmers will definitely not do such a thing. These powerful commission agents regard their

opposition to the three bills as a fight for survival. Successive state governments in Punjab and Haryana have tried to keep the arhtiyas in good humour, resulting in politically-aligned groups. The agri-marketing bills have now prompted the commission agents to form an umbrella

federation of arhtiyas of Punjab and Haryana to improve their lobbying power & together with anti-national elements who are just waiting for such an opportunity this #FarmersProtestHijacked to a level which is not benefitting the farmers in anyway. Let us be aware of the truth.

compiled from information gathered from news articles and posts on the net.

#FarmersProtest