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Farm and Forest Politics

Farmers fight corporates, remove central government middlemen

The sudden decision days before nationwide protests shall have a monumental impact on India’s telecom industry.

jio

Tired of the roundabout manner of treatment by the central government, farmers’ leaders at Singhu border declared boycott of all Adani and Ambani products such as Jio sim cards on December 9, 2020.
 

“All Jio products and malls of Adani and Ambani will be boycotted. We will also issue a call to port all Jio sim cards very soon,” said farmers’ leader Darshan Pal during a press conference on Wednesday.

The decision was announced as part of a series of protests to condemn the three farm laws announced by the government –

Along with mobile sim cards, Reliance Jio has launched apps such as JioSaavn and smartphones like Lyf all of which will also be boycotted by farmers. After months of expressing apprehension towards potential corporate takeover, this is the first outright call against corporates by farmers.

Reliance Jio is the leading mobile telecom operator as per market share. Overall, Reliance Industries has raised Rs. 152,056 crore since April by selling 32.97 percent equity stake in Jio Platforms. In September 2019, Jio launched a fiber to the home service, offering home broadband, television, and telephone services. Thus, boycotting of all Reliance products will have a significant effect on the telecom sector in India.

Farmers and farmers’ supporters have not wasted a day in answering farmers’ leaders’ calls.

 

 

Further, this decision will also adversely impact farmers’ network system since Jio became the largest mobile network operator in India in December 2019 and the third largest mobile network operator in the world with more than over 40.56 crore subscribers.

Since its inception Jio significantly brought down the average monthly cost of mobile data to as low as Rs 3 per GB. This allows for the most pocket-friendly internet service in the world. Considering the next nationwide farmers’ protest will take place on December 12, this gives precious little time for protesters to find a new network service.

Related:

Farmers reject government’s repackaged old amendment proposal

Are the new farm laws constitutional?

Talks with Amit Shah fail: Farmers firm on demand for the repeal of the anti-farmer laws

Bharat Bandh became a reckoning for the central government: farmers’ leaders

‘Samundar Bandh’ if gov’t does not listen to farmers: Fishworkers show solidarity

Uttar Pradesh: Photographer who clicked farmer being hit by police ‘attacked, beaten’

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