Indian Theological Association in solidarity with farmers' struggle for justice

The Indian Theological Association (ITA) has issued the following statement expressing their solidarity with the farmers' struggle for justice.

Tens of thousands of farmers have gathered at the outskirts of Delhi from November 26 last year protesting against the three contentious farm laws: The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, The Essential Commodities Act (Amendment) Bill and the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill. All these three bills have made Indian farmers, most of them own less than one acre even more vulnerable by giving the levers of power to the big agri-business companies.

The newly imposed farm laws are a blatant attack on the Indian democracy by the present federal government run by Shri Narendra Modi. The corporate-friendly federal government neither had any consultations with the many farmer unions across India nor with the opposition parties in the Parliament. The central government unabashedly, manipulating its majority in the lower house of the Parliament executed the bills. Further, by trespassing into a state subject, agriculture, this government has weakened the federal structure of the Indian Union.

Farmers camped at the protest sites while enduring the biting cold, explain how these controversial farm laws while exploiting them, will benefit the Corporates to make huge profits at the expense of their sweat and blood.

"The farm laws will impoverish us further and we will lose our lands," they say. "We demand that these laws are repealed. Any postponement like 'freezing the laws for some months' is a deliberate attempt to weaken our movement," affirm farmers in one voice.

Farmers stress that they have no legal protection vis-a-vis the big agro-business companies they are pitted against, if disputes arise. "Is it possible for a marginal farmer to fight the multinationals?" ask farmers. In addition, the government has given a free hand for these big companies to hoard food stuff and make huge profits. This step will push millions of poor people to abject poverty. More than seventy elderly farmers have died unable to withstand the severe cold wave. The government has turned a blind eye on the suffering of the farmers and has turned stone deaf to their cries for justice.

'Farm laws' are yet another deliberate attempt to weaken the Indian democracy. The right- wing Hindutva groups' dream of establishing an ethnic Hindu State would be possible only by replacing the sovereign, secular, democratic, socialist republic established by Constitution of India. Demonetization, the abolition of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, and enactment of Citizenship (Amendment Act) that discriminates people against one another in terms of religion are the other significant moves to destroy the Constitutional democracy of India.

It is in this context, one finds the determination and courage of farmers in the face of brutal power of the government remarkable. They are fearless to speak the truth in the corridors of power. Their patience and perseverance are outstanding. It is inspiring to see how thousands are fed in the camps by 'langar' (community kitchen) and cleanliness and order maintained everywhere.

In the protest sites one witnesses to the cry of the vulnerable. "When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate (Exodus 22: 27). God listens to the cry of the oppressed and stands with them in their struggle for justice.

The farmers are not seeking charity from the government or from their cronies. They demand their rights. We hope that the farmers who feed the nation will succeed in their struggle for justice. We believe that God who stands with the vulnerable will lead them to victory.

We the members of Indian Theological Association firmly support the cause of the farmers and all those who strive relentlessly for peace founded on justice. We demand that the government listens to the voice of the poor and repeals the controversial laws.

On behalf of Indian Theological Association,

Dr Vincent Kundukulam, President, ITA
Dr Kochurani Abraham, Vice President, ITA
Dr Raj Irudaya SJ, Secretary, ITA
Dr Joy Pulikkan SDB, Treasurer, ITA
Dr Jacob Parappally MSFS, Member, Ex. Committee, ITA
Dr Davis Varayilan CMI, Member, Committee, ITA
Dr PT Mathew SJ, Member, Ex Committee, ITA
Dr Victor Edwin SJ, Member, Ex Committee, ITA