The uneasy transition of the nation to an undemocratic one makes an insecurity feel on us. The recent events prove that men in power have lost their reason. If the state couldn’t ensure protection for the life, rights and properties of the people, who would provide it? Dear Legislative, Executive and Judicial wings, your intentional negligence towards farmers protest cannot stop the wild uproar of the crowd. It’s been one year they are on the streets to revolt against the three new Farm Laws that pretends to be helpful for them, but they are not. The only response to their revolt was a well-planned gruesome murder of farmers. And who will take the responsibility of these deaths? The state has to undertake. Not only the state, each and every individual who were against the farmers, those who put limitations to their revolt and the liberals are also responsible for their fate. Here, the basic architecture of the legal system is favorable to the haves and a threat to the have-nots. The deconstruction of the hegemonic society is still a dream even to this immediate generation. The twenty-first century intellectuals have to learn, unlearn and relearn the concept of democracy.
For the purpose of analysis, let us rewind the events related to farmer’s protest. The Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act are the three acts that the government has to withdraw. The economists argue that both farmers and the nation will get benefits from these rules. But through the close examination of these acts, it is clear that it will only lead to a miserable life for farmers. These theoretically good laws were passed on a Sunday without a genuine discussion. Majority of the farmers in India belong to a marginalized category. They depend on the local markets and agents to sell their product. But the new laws will help the cooperates enter into this field and gradually they will exploit the farmers. This will end the Mandi system and end their relationship with common agents. They are demanding the minimum support price (MSP) guarantee from the government. But the authority confirmed that the government will take the products by providing a small amount to the farmers as a sustainable price, not a profitable price, if their products were not sold out. The government’s supply chain plan is very complex and disastrous and should be criticized instead of admiration. The ideological leadership of bourgeoisie over the subordinate classes is happening here. Here the hegemonic class has taken interest over the proletariat class and done sacrifices to make equilibrium between them to meet their corporate interests. Hence, the farmers started to protest against these three laws. They conducted a march to Delhi; tractor parade and they chose different peaceful methods to mark their protest. But nothing went fruitful.
The Lakhimpur Kheri Massacre proved the collapse of the system. The law execution and adjudication body tried to rescue the convicts rather than punishing them. The system is still working in the colonial style and repressing the people by imposing laws. Why the reluctance and delay from the part of government and court? There is a proverb, ‘justice delayed is justice denied’. The inefficiency in admiration of justice can be best observed here. Sometimes power is a negative, coercive thing that forces us to do things against our wishes. Nowadays political power is superior to the constitution. A membership in the ruling party is the license you get to do whatever you want. You can murder someone, violate laws, rape women and so on. Nobody will interrogate or take action against you. The system has to improve its service and true potential. The pending cases and lack of transparency of the judiciary are some of its major drawbacks.
People under a corrupt system is an important issue we need to address. Like other organs of government, a corrupted judicial system will badly affect the justice seekers. The problems faced by the common man under a corrupt court system may not be sensational news to the public or media, but it is a matter of discussion. Many innocent people are spending their life in prison and waiting for their trials. The elite powerful people can bribe the executive wing so most of the time the innocent powerless people are sentenced to punishment. In the Lakhimpur Kheri incident the court delayed recording its dissatisfaction over the investigation done by the Uttar Pradesh Police on this case. And this same court had a different approach to the case at the beginning. The time has come to reform the judicial system. The coordination and cooperation between the executive and judiciary can resolve many pending problems. We need a perfect system to manage the state.
Today, the 19th of November 2021, should be remembered as a day of historic importance when the farmers of India defeated the violence and brutalities of the state. Yes, repeal of the farm laws can only be seen in the limelight of the upcoming UP and Punjab elections, yet it gives a lot of hope and spirit to the existing idea of ‘Democracy’ in India.
