In a significant show of solidarity with the ongoing farmers' agitation, village councils across Punjab have formally joined the chorus demanding the repeal of a contentious central law. Numerous panchayats have passed resolutions urging the Union Government to scrap the Gramin Rajasthan Sehkari Samiti (Amendment) Act, 2023, commonly referred to as the G Ram G Act.
Widespread Panchayat Resolutions Across Districts
The movement is not confined to a single region. Reports confirm that panchayats in several districts, including Moga, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala, have adopted these resolutions. The process involves convening special meetings where members collectively pass the resolution, which is then forwarded to higher authorities. This grassroots-level action demonstrates the depth of rural opposition to the legislation beyond the protest sites at the state's borders.
The core grievance revolves around the Act's perceived threat to the cooperative sector. Village leaders and farmers argue that the amendments could undermine the autonomy of rural cooperative societies, which are vital for agricultural credit and procurement. They fear it may pave the way for greater corporate control over farm infrastructure and market access, directly impacting the livelihood of peasants.
Alignment with Farmer Unions' Core Demands
The panchayat resolutions do not stand alone. They explicitly align with the key demands put forth by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, who are leading the protest. The primary demands encapsulated in these resolutions are threefold.
First, and most prominently, is a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops, as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission. Second, the panchayats demand a complete waiver of farm debts to alleviate the financial crisis gripping the agricultural community. Third, they seek the withdrawal of all police cases filed against farmers during previous protest movements.
Building Pressure from the Grassroots
This move by the panchayats adds a new, institutional layer of pressure on the government. While farmer unions protest on highways, the elected local bodies in their home villages are making the same demands through official channels. It signifies that the support for the agitation is deeply entrenched in rural governance structures.
Analysts view this as a strategic expansion of the protest's footprint. By involving panchayats, the farmer leaders are showcasing that their struggle has the democratic mandate of village assemblies, making it harder for authorities to dismiss their concerns. The resolutions serve as documented proof of widespread discontent at the very base of India's democratic setup.
The coming together of panchayats on this issue highlights the severe agricultural distress in Punjab. It underscores a unified rural front where local governance bodies and civil society movements are converging on a common platform to challenge central policies they deem harmful. The ball is now in the court of the Union Government to respond to this escalating demand from the heartland of Indian agriculture.
