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India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

bbc.co.uk

211–220 of 440 posts

Re: India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

#211
post #201

> Agriculture employs about half of India's 1.3 billion population I am not familiar with politics in India, so my question is: how does the BJP manage to push laws that (seem to) adversly affect the interest of half of the population? Isn't that political suicide for the BJP?

I don't believe that the protestors have a moral high ground in this particular case. Many of them receive free electricity and all of them don't pay any taxes (no matter how much they earn). In states like Punjab, the farmers have entered a vicious cycle where they keep planting water-hungry crops like wheat and rice due to the Minimum Support Price that they get on those (the water table in this region is in danger…

That's the reason why the protests lacks large-scale support across the country.

Re: India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

#212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where Hindu is a nationality/culture and not a religion. India is a name given by slavers. Bharat is a very very old concept.

That lovely linguistic sleight of hand means that people called a region bharat. By the criteria how come Sri Lanka is not included? Or how do you reconcile the 7 sisters being part of that? For that matter the word Europe exists - are you arguing that states should act like nations a la the EU?

I reconcile that by the fact that the same unifying culture is and has been present for centuries in the whole subcontinent.

Re: India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

#213

> Agriculture employs about half of India's 1.3 billion population I am not familiar with politics in India, so my question is: how does the BJP manage to push laws that (seem to) adversly affect the interest of half of the population? Isn't that political suicide for the BJP?

This is not correct information that the new laws adversely affect the interest of farmers.

It hampers the middleman more than the actual farmers. North part of India has two states which have significant contribution to farming in India - Punjab and Haryana.

New laws allow the farm owner to directly sell the crop to the corporate without any middleman. In the above two states the trade is tightly controlled by middlemen. Hence the issue. In other states, very few people are protesting.

Re: India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

#214
post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

What would those policies be? Why do you assume I am nazi or nazi like? Sorry, that’s very disgusting of you. What part about my being are you trying to draw attention to. Stop bullying people.

I should have taken the advice of your parent comment "No, thanks. I am not interested in helping you whitewash their history."

Please carry on. You deserve no opposition or feedback. You deserve to be left alone.

Re: India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

#215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah yes, when we can't demonize them as minorities, or reflect on the largely peaceful protest, we return to "who will think of the ~~busses~~ I mean telecom towers!" The ones owned by a company that has a lot to gain from these remarkable laws! I mean, property damage is a stones throw too far, given that the government has listened and responded, and created laws which don't remove access to courts for anyone with a…

So sometimes the courts are corrupt and dancing to the tune of the industrialist or it’s the beacon of justice, when convenient? Sometimes in the same argument? I do agree though that clause was asinine. Even if reliance gets to benefit, is the farmer being harmed for it? Poor farmer has a lot to gain from this bill. They get supply of funds right from by muting seeds and fertilisers to having assured income. Just pa…

> Even if reliance gets to benefit, is the farmer being harmed for it? Poor farmer has a lot to gain from this bill. They get supply of funds right from by muting seeds and fertilisers to having assured income. Just paint the “industrialist” as the monster and destroy away?

Do you miss out on the huge number of HN discussions talking about the damaging effects of monopolization by BigTech players? Now imagine if you're a farmer who can only sell to 1 of 2 conglomerates, both led by big shot industrialists with ties to the govt (which will also run the arbitration tribunal). So much "free market" right?

Re: India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

#216
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Repeating what you conveniently ignored: one bad incident does not override months of completely peaceful protests I am not the one conveniently forgetting violence at the Red fort. Let me ask you, why even protest when the Supreme court is hearing the case and Govt has agreed to put the law on hold for 1.5 years. Why violence & blocking highways? Why not take it up with Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court of India is going to listen to the farmers? The same Supreme Court that asked why and I quote, "why old people and women are kept in the protests" as if thousands of old farmers were paid money and brought in to the protests? I repeat: protesting is a fundamental right. Farmers have been protesting peacefully for months. One bad incident is not reflective of the otherwise largely peaceful protests.…

Why shouldn't the SC ask that question? They are not issuing a diktat. It's a large group and a certain degree of coercion, even if small, is likely involved. It's only now that it's coming out in open.

https://www.freepressjournal.in/viral/protest-or-pay-a-fine-...

We are talking about areas around Delhi where women and children have much less liberty when compared to other regions of India.

Re: India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

#217
post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quoted post unavailable.

People have a religion. And most of the times their religion is not the same as yours. Get used to this fact.

I am used to that fact. My comment doesn't oppose anyone's right to follow their religion in any way. I would have opposed the act even if the flag belonged to some other entity. And for the record, we are talking about hooliganism which has caused injuries to scores of people.

Re: India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

#218

> Agriculture employs about half of India's 1.3 billion population I am not familiar with politics in India, so my question is: how does the BJP manage to push laws that (seem to) adversly affect the interest of half of the population? Isn't that political suicide for the BJP?

the same farmers will vote for BJP come election time, because Hindutva. Indian voters are increasingly single issue voters and the issue here is just religious fundamentalism.

Despite every misstep that BJP has taken, every economic blunder they have made and widespread increase in authoritarianism, its popularity has only risen.

One of the vilest BJP leaders, Ajay Bisht, who rules UP - one of the most backwards state in India is expected to be one of the upcoming PM candidates for the next election. It doesn't matters he has made Up into a bigger hellhole, but because he is a "yogi" (saint/ one who does Yoga), he is BJP's posterchild and one of its most popular leaders.

Re: India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

#219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So sometimes the courts are corrupt and dancing to the tune of the industrialist or it’s the beacon of justice, when convenient? Sometimes in the same argument? I do agree though that clause was asinine. Even if reliance gets to benefit, is the farmer being harmed for it? Poor farmer has a lot to gain from this bill. They get supply of funds right from by muting seeds and fertilisers to having assured income. Just pa…

> Even if reliance gets to benefit, is the farmer being harmed for it? Poor farmer has a lot to gain from this bill. They get supply of funds right from by muting seeds and fertilisers to having assured income. Just paint the “industrialist” as the monster and destroy away? Do you miss out on the huge number of HN discussions talking about the damaging effects of monopolization by BigTech players? Now imagine if you'…

So you sell in the old mandi system? Which had the monopoly until now.

Re: India protests: Internet cut to hunger-striking farmers in Delhi

#220

> Agriculture employs about half of India's 1.3 billion population I am not familiar with politics in India, so my question is: how does the BJP manage to push laws that (seem to) adversly affect the interest of half of the population? Isn't that political suicide for the BJP?

They've become arrogant and seem to be of the opinion that their populist support, communal propaganda and sway on media channels is enough to counter any resistance they may receive.

Their proposed laws deregulate agri markets but people no longer trust them to do any good: https://the-ken.com/the-nutgraf/the-trust-battery-is-at-1/

So yes, they overestimated their reach and this would have certainly been political suicide, if only they had any competent opposition.

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