1. Th REAL motives of th Govt behind th #FarmBills EXPOSED by @alok_jagdhari. A MUST READ THREAD revealing bankruptcy n chicanery of the Govt.

"For sure th agricultural sector in India needs deep rooted reforms. And I mean reforms, not merely cutting the legs frm under the

2. farmers n poor in India, which is th explicit intention of th 3 Farm Sector Bills and th administrative announcement removing onions, pulses, rapeseed oils and other essentials from the Essential Commodities Act purview.
1. Why did Modi government move with such alacrity on th

3. dismantling of APMC (for sure, this Bill will eventually lead2 th demise of APMC system. Good or bad it has provided vital protection to the farmers in states whr it has been honestly implemented)
The answer is very simple - the Govt realised in June 2020 that it was BANKRUPT.

4. And one of the heaviest commitment of funds is the purchase of agricultural produce at the MSP.

So if you dismantle the APMC, then you can pretend that you have deregulated the markets and don't have to purchase any produce

2. What's the long term implication?

5. The MSP has formed a safety layer for Indian farmers. Has it been universally applied? No, it hasn't been. Has the APMC been fault free? No, it hasn't. But this Bill doesn't improve thr functioning nor does it address thr flaws nor expand coverage. It simply says "Let markets

6. take care". A philosophy very similar to thr attitude about Railways. And we all know how well th "markets" hav functioned in such cases (Enron and California energy markets, privatization fiasco of British Railways, privatization n decimation of US Railways, etc)

7. In case of APMC, MSP, etc it has made India self sufficient in food grains. FCI godowns r overflowing with foodgrains. And Modi सरकार has benefitted from this procurement since the free/ subsidized foodgrains is the ONLY DAMNED THING that's kept people alive in this pandemic !

8. 3. Keep your eye on the ball.

Like in the case of CAA, the original legislation wasn't the entire story. The real poison was in the administrative stuff that was the logical next steps, viz NRC and the modified and poisoned NPR. Similarly, here the APMC legislation was

9. accompanied by two othr Bills, which will put small n marginal farmers into servitude, and th de-notification of essential goods like cooking oil pulses and onions frm Essential Commodities Act. Ths now allows anyone2 hoard any quantity of these items without any restrictions.

10. 4. What comes next?

The dismantling of the agricultural protections will be invariably followed up by the dismantling of MSP and, eventually, the PDS. which is the real intention of the government since that's the ONLY way the government can remain solvent.

11. These steps will follow the current Bills as surely as night follows the day and NRC followed the CAA. It's the same gaslighting. It's the same set of stupid lies. It's the same bait and switch. It's the same subterfuge. It's the same chicanery.

12. 5. What comes after that?
Wide fluctuations in food prices. Regional imbalances. Catastrophe for farmers. Wide changes in cropping patterns. And eventual erosion of food security for India as a nation. Right now the urban dwellers are clueless and indifferent. But eventually

13. this will come back to destroy the urban middle and lower middle class vis sharply higher food prices and shortages.I am also realistic enough to know that India can't sustain 65% of its population on 15% of its GDP. So a consolidation of agricultural holdings is must,

14. which are the most fragmented amongst all agrarian nations in the world.
Simultaneously, it's also true that this government's method of doing this is all wrong, and the timing couldn't be more cruel.
As India had been developing, more manufacturing and services jobs

15. would have automatically pulled people away from agriculture and into other sectors. Over a longer period of time, as India transitioned to a middle income nation, the dependence on agriculture would have reduced.
But to do this now, when there are no jobs and millions

16. hav been newly rendered unemployed and whn poverty is rising, is cruel and unconscionable.
The agricultural sector overhaul being undertaken now is the equivalent of badly designed n implemented GST thts now the bane of India's economy..." aftr a disastrous #Demonetisation

17. Now the PR Dept of BJP is working overtime2 convince peeps tht theCong Manifesto promised these very reforms which the party is now opposing for political reasons. WRONG ! The Cong promised and intended2 set up SMALLER Farmers' Markets within 5 kms reach of th farmers instead

18. of having thm walk 30-40 kms 2reach th catchment areas of an #APMC. They would still conform to ALL of APMC regulations and GUARANTEE AT LEAST THE MSP!
Starting with the PM himself distortions of this truth are being pumped into the Media, Social Media

19. including a million Whatsapp messages flooding every phone with well wishers like @ShekharGupta fighting the BJP case ! And NOW @deepikapadukone has been summoned tomorrow by the NCB ON THE DAY THE FARMERS ARE GOING ON A NATION WIDE PROTEST... So we know exactly what our

20. puppy-dog Media will b covering tomorrow !
Like another wise soul said of the Farm Bills Elections hav been expensive business, only 60,000 Crores. How else were these favours 2b returned2 billionaire friends who also happen2 OWN Media Channels tht can reverse PROPAGANDA !

21. PLs see th true intent n position of ths Govt whch is anti-farmer, in ths important thread.As @RahulGandhi says its ALWAYS the उद्योग-पतिs who benefit at th COST of th poor. Tks Alok !
@aipcsouthmumbai @AIPCMaha @ProfCong @rohanrgupta @SaralPatel @SaketGokhale @nandtara

22. Wonder why Farmers are protesting all over the country when the Govt of India has passed such a “beneficial” bill !? They should be rejoicing...!

Remember this tomorrow when Media will be covering the wrong story 24X7 !!!