National Farmers’ Day, also known as Kisan Diwas, is observed across India on December 23 to honor the nation’s farmers and to commemorate the birth anniversary of Choudhary Charan Singh, India’s fifth prime minister.
Taking place this year also against the backdrop of intensifying farmer protests on the outskirts of Delhi, Kisan Diwas is a celebration of rural livelihoods. Thousands of farmers from across India have joined the protest against the BJP-led government’s controversial farm laws, which is now in its second year.
What’s the reason behind 23 December being recognised as Farmer’s day?
Choudhary Charan Singh’s contribution to the agriculture sector and the welfare of farmers was recognized by the government in 2001 when it declared his birth anniversary as Kisan Diwas to commemorate his achievements.
National Farmers’ Day, also known as Kisan Diwas, is observed across India on December 23 to honor the nation’s farmers and to commemorate the birth anniversary of Choudhary Charan Singh, India’s fifth prime minister.
Taking place this year against the backdrop of intensifying farmer protests on the outskirts of Delhi, Kisan Diwas is a celebration of rural livelihoods. Thousands of farmers from across India have joined the protest against the BJP-led government’s controversial farm laws, which is now in its second month.
Chaudhary Charan Singh and his love with farmers
Chaudhary Charan Singh, who served as prime minister for a brief period between 1979 and 1980, is widely regarded as one of the country’s most famous peasant leaders and is buried in the country’s national cemetery. He was well-known for his pioneering work to improve the welfare of farmers and the agricultural sector. He passed away in 2013.
Charan Singh was no stranger to the difficulties that the Indian farmer faced on a daily basis. On December 23, 1902, he was born into a middle-class peasant family in the state of Uttar Pradesh. A great admirer of Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings, he was an active participant in the struggle for Indian independence from British rule. Following that, he devoted the majority of his political career to promoting socialism in rural India.
Charan Singh served two terms as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous agrarian state, during which time he was instrumental in shaping the country’s land reforms. He was the driving force behind several landmark farmer-friendly legislation, including the Land Utilisation Act of 1939 and the Debt Redemption Act of 1939.
In 1952, while serving as Agriculture Minister, he was instrumental in the United Provinces’ efforts to abolish the zamindari system. In fact, he went on to draft the Zamindari and Land Reforms Bill for the state of Uttar Pradesh himself.
His non-political, non-profit Kisan Trust was established on December 23, 1978, with the goal of educating India’s rural masses against injustice and building a sense of community among those who live there.
What’s so special this year?
For the first time this year, Kisan Diwas is being observed amid farmer demonstrations against the Central government’s three contentious agricultural reform laws. According to farmers, the new laws will encourage private investment in the agricultural sector. A number of people are concerned that deregulation will have a negative impact on small and poor farmers by undermining the government’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) system.
Rakesh Tikait, a farmer leader who spoke at a press conference last week, urged people to show their support for farmers by refraining from cooking for a day on Kisan Diwas. Farmers took part in a day-long relay hunger strike at protest sites throughout Delhi, including at the Singhu border crossing, on Monday.
Several farmers are also reported to have paid their respects at the ‘Kisan Ghat,’ the memorial to Charan Singh, on this occasion as well.
