Skip to main content
Sabrang
Sabrang
Politics Farm and Forest

Don’t return farmers empty-handed: Meghalaya Governor on farmers’ struggle

The former Jammu and Kashmir Governor suggested that MSP be legalised so that protesting farmers can return to their farmlands.

Sabrangindia 15 Mar 2021

farmers protest

Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik urged the central government on March 14, 2021 to not harm agitating farmers protesting against the new farm laws at Delhi borders, reproted the Indian Express.

Speaking to people at a felicitation ceremony at the Sheelchand Inter College in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh, Malik claimed that the government should pay heed to farmers’ demands the include the withdrawal of the three laws – the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance & Farm Services Act, the Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act – and a legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price (MSP).

“I requested both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister that they should not send the farmers back empty-handed. Sikhs will remember it for 300 years. The day there was talk of Tikait (BKU leader Rakesh Tikait) being arrested, I intervened at 11 PM, making sure it didn’t happen,” he said.

Malik said he recently appealed to a journalist close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to explain the implications of pressuring and humiliating farmers. He suggested that the government should legalise MSP so that farmers will return to their hometowns.

The Meghalaya official further said that he was advised by people not to speak about the issue. Nonetheless, after watching the events unfolding in the struggle, Malik decided to voice his opinion.

His support for farmers is among the first responses of the state regarding the farmers’ movement. Unlike neighbouring states like Assam, Meghalaya farmers have not been vocal about their stand on the national agitation.

Nonetheless, Malik, hailing from the aforementioned district, said that the government should carry out its duty. He emphasised that none of the laws favoured farmers and that “wherever one goes, there is a lathicharge.” He said that no one can save a country where farmers and soldiers are not satisfied.

Malik stated that India’s farmers are getting poorer everyday while salaries of government officials and staff increases after every three years. “Whatever is sown by a farmer is cheap and whatever he buys is expensive. They do not know how they are becoming poor,” he said.

According to a documentary by EastMojo this may be because local farmers have never really enjoyed the benefits or policies affected by the three laws. For example, MSP was introduced only recently in 2018. Another reason may be that farmers in the state also engage in other occupations to sustain themselves.

Speaking from his experience as the former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir when the erstwhile state’s special status was revoked, he said, “When Article 370 was repealed, I had a duty that I handle things… Farooq Abdullah had said there will be a bloodbath. (Mehbooba) Mufti said no one will hold the national flag… But the government showed courage. We didn’t have to fire a single bullet and not even a bird was harmed. I carried out my duty.”

Related:

Farmer and workers leaders to meet and plan March 26 Bharat Bandh!

India’s farmers and workers to commemorate Anti-Privatisation Day on March 15

Mitti satyagraha begins on the same day as the historic salt satyagraha!

Punish anti-farmer BJP and its allies in upcoming elections: SKM

Farmers call for Bharat Bandh on March 28!

Karnataka farmers ask: Where is MSP Modi ji?

India’s farmers and workers to commemorate Anti-Privatisation Day on March 15

Contract employees flood Patiala streets, demand regularisation of workers

Don’t return farmers empty-handed: Meghalaya Governor on farmers’ struggle

The former Jammu and Kashmir Governor suggested that MSP be legalised so that protesting farmers can return to their farmlands.

farmers protest

Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik urged the central government on March 14, 2021 to not harm agitating farmers protesting against the new farm laws at Delhi borders, reproted the Indian Express.

Speaking to people at a felicitation ceremony at the Sheelchand Inter College in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh, Malik claimed that the government should pay heed to farmers’ demands the include the withdrawal of the three laws – the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance & Farm Services Act, the Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act – and a legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price (MSP).

“I requested both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister that they should not send the farmers back empty-handed. Sikhs will remember it for 300 years. The day there was talk of Tikait (BKU leader Rakesh Tikait) being arrested, I intervened at 11 PM, making sure it didn’t happen,” he said.

Malik said he recently appealed to a journalist close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to explain the implications of pressuring and humiliating farmers. He suggested that the government should legalise MSP so that farmers will return to their hometowns.

The Meghalaya official further said that he was advised by people not to speak about the issue. Nonetheless, after watching the events unfolding in the struggle, Malik decided to voice his opinion.

His support for farmers is among the first responses of the state regarding the farmers’ movement. Unlike neighbouring states like Assam, Meghalaya farmers have not been vocal about their stand on the national agitation.

Nonetheless, Malik, hailing from the aforementioned district, said that the government should carry out its duty. He emphasised that none of the laws favoured farmers and that “wherever one goes, there is a lathicharge.” He said that no one can save a country where farmers and soldiers are not satisfied.

Malik stated that India’s farmers are getting poorer everyday while salaries of government officials and staff increases after every three years. “Whatever is sown by a farmer is cheap and whatever he buys is expensive. They do not know how they are becoming poor,” he said.

According to a documentary by EastMojo this may be because local farmers have never really enjoyed the benefits or policies affected by the three laws. For example, MSP was introduced only recently in 2018. Another reason may be that farmers in the state also engage in other occupations to sustain themselves.

Speaking from his experience as the former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir when the erstwhile state’s special status was revoked, he said, “When Article 370 was repealed, I had a duty that I handle things… Farooq Abdullah had said there will be a bloodbath. (Mehbooba) Mufti said no one will hold the national flag… But the government showed courage. We didn’t have to fire a single bullet and not even a bird was harmed. I carried out my duty.”

Related:

Farmer and workers leaders to meet and plan March 26 Bharat Bandh!

India’s farmers and workers to commemorate Anti-Privatisation Day on March 15

Mitti satyagraha begins on the same day as the historic salt satyagraha!

Punish anti-farmer BJP and its allies in upcoming elections: SKM

Farmers call for Bharat Bandh on March 28!

Karnataka farmers ask: Where is MSP Modi ji?

India’s farmers and workers to commemorate Anti-Privatisation Day on March 15

Contract employees flood Patiala streets, demand regularisation of workers

Related Articles

Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Theme

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Campaigns

Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Videos

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

IN FACT

Analysis

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Archives