What grows on land? Well, economy does.

Perhaps, in the last 11 months, the realization may have dawned on Prime Minister Modi, more than ever before. That, a country of the scale and magnitude of India is not as easy as managing one state – no matter how a perfect representative of India that could be.

But, let’s pause for a moment and wonder if Modi anticipated this. Having seen the seasoned politician that he is, we surely know he would have anticipated a couple of issues for roadblocks. And so far, land acquisition bill has turned into a challenge that threatens to change the overall image of the government. The 31% voters who voted this government to power and gave it an absolute majority seem to be confused with the Land Acquisition Bill at the moment. But hang on, we are still not sealing any final deal yet.

What’s wrong with the bill? Or, what’s wrong with land being tapped as a major resource that can feed into economic empowerment? To begin with, land in more ways than one, represents the emotional connect majority of Indians have with their nature, identity and surroundings. No matter how you would want to look at it, a farmer who has lost land to some government project for any betterment of the society, can never be comfortable doing anything else other than agriculture. So, unless the government works on its rehabilitation methods than offering a few lakh to those who give their lands for development, this act will always be met with mixed emotions of fear, anger and helplessness. All these emotions are exactly the ones opposition wants to capitalize on.

For a country that has had socialist leanings with its simple life mantra, India has always looked at industrialization and capitalism with some sort of contempt. The underlying philosophy of the country, which is evident through its spiritual journey as well, money is met with a sneer. Despite the fact that money is essential to keep the country going, and a commodity that provides access to a life of dignity; money and capitalism represents something evil. Hence, when a government speaks of giving away lands to industrialists who can create jobs, it is seen as an attempt to snatch away the most natural resource, and make the farmers helplessly dependant on external factors that can exploit them to the core. But in reality it is all about economic reforms which could help farmers in the long run.

So, the reading ain’t so bad. But, hasn’t cronyism been part of our political banter? The ‘helplessness’ of a farmer has been a fact through ages. A farmer who is dependent on market-oriented world is as important as an industrialist who buys his crops to turn them into consumer products. But, the difference lies in the fact that both wield different power when it comes to sitting on a negotiating table or having a dialogue with the government.

The failure of successive monsoons, have made some part of land arid and dry and hence unable to make way for any cultivation. But, industrialists who want the government to mediate the procedure of acquiring and handing out lands for their ventures, want lands to be well connected to good motorable roads, and have human resources around.

So, when the government decides to acquire a certain piece of land for reforms, the value of the land suddenly rises. India does not have compulsory land sales law such as America. In India, we are still grappling with issues that are two pronged both in their approach and complexity. What adds to this complication? Politics being one, there are many more aspects that make this issue much more complicated than it already is.

Recently, when Congress Veep Rahul Gandhi addressed Modi’s government as ‘suit-boot-ki-sarkar’; he perhaps complicated it further for the people of India. But Modi government wants reforms, but at the same time is petrified at the aspect of taking over lands so as to not offend the farmers.

One spectacle of a suicide that happened at the farmers’ rally organized by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, has put the larger question in the centre of everything again. How can a farmer negotiate his right for a dignified life when he is stripped of his last bit of resources? The incident was unfortunate, no doubt. And, there are also questions about the timing of this suicide. But, will the country ever wonder why a farmer can and will always be taken for a ride, even after almost seven decades of independence and democratic ruling?

This has surely got Modi also worried. We have to land with a solution that’s uncomplicated and beneficial to all and this is what the current NDA-led government has been trying to do convince all the stakeholders.


(Image: indiatimes.com)