Kisan Podcast 2020-21

In this final episode of the Kisan Podcast Amaan Bali and I have a conversation about the journey of the Kisan Protests, we discuss some ideas for future agricultural reform, reiterate the structural problems and briefly talk about the viability of often proposed ‘solutions’ such as organic farming. (Note: this is a recording from a casual conversation we had on Clubhouse, the audio is as provided by them).

In this episode Amaan and I discuss women’s participation and leadership in Kisan politics, the pro-urban bias in India’s development and how the farmer’s movement has revitalised bottom-up democracy in the country.

Amaan and I discuss the deeper problems in the agriculture sector in India, some potential solutions and why they haven’t been implemented; with some updates on the current protests.

I speak with Amaan (@amaanbali) about the proceedings in the Supreme Court today, with discussion on positions of each side and possible outcomes even as we anticipate tomorrow’s session.

As we look forward to the January 4 meeting, Amaan and I discuss the state of the protests, possible future trajectories and most importantly, the role of Sikh philosophy in this movement, while touching on themes of anti-Sikh propaganda.

I speak with Amaan about the Green Revolution, how it destroyed Punjab’s indigenous cropping patterns and how attempts at diversification since the 90s, with experiments in Contract Farming, have largely failed but still offer some critical lessons.

I speak with Prasan (@dhanuraashi) about the transformation of agriculture in the United States, where household farms gradually got trapped in endless cycles of debt in the 20th century leading to rural devastation.

I speak with Amaan about the necessity of Minimum Support Price and how an honest implementation of reforms proposed by the Swaminathan Commission can revive agriculture and bring rural prosperity.

I speak with Amaan (@amaanbali) about the government’s proposed amendments to the agriculture laws and the reasons for Kisan Unions’ insistence on total repeal, to draft and enact new laws.

I speak with Amaan regarding the trajectory of negotiations between the government and farmers, discussing why farmers are insistent on repealing the laws, with a detailed analysis of stubble burning and some talk on hate speech.

I speak with Sandeep (@PunYaab) and Amaan (@amaanbali) about news from and news coverage about the protests, with further discussions on important details from the meeting between the Farmers delegation and the state government, among other things, including future implications of the movement for the politics and society of Punjab.

I speak with Amaan (@amaanbali) about the use of propaganda and counter-propaganda in the protests, where he goes into the structure of the propaganda machinery, especially deployed to tarnish the movement.

I spoke to Yogesh Kumar, who has written for publications including EPW and Punjabi Tribune, about various issues related to Punjab’s protests, including the problem of landless labourers and communal polarisation.

Sandeep (@PunYaab), Amaan (@amaanbali) and I discuss the state of the protests as of today while waiting for news on the ongoing meeting between Farm Leaders and the Government. [Punjabi]

I discuss the Agriculutre economy of Haryana with Kuldeep who is a Research Scholar from Panjab University and is writing his thesis on Agrarian Distress in Haryana.

I host @jungnihang and @amaanbali for a conversation on the farmer protests in India and how the Punjabi diaspora should engage with and become informed about the movement.

I talk with @amaanbali and @PunYaab about the ongoing of Kisan Protests in Delhi, especially how they are being covered in the mainstream media and how that coverage diverges from on the ground reality.