FARMERS’ MOVEMENTS IN INDIA: FROM FREEDOM STRUGGLE TO CONTEMPORARY NATION-BUILDING

Abstract

Farmers’ movements have been a defining force in India’s socio-political history, reflecting both agrarian distress and the resilience of rural communities. This paper traces their evolution from the 20th century, when farmers stood at the forefront of anti-colonial struggles, to the 21st century, where they act as democratic negotiators of rights and policies. In the colonial era, peasant agitations such as Champaran, Bardoli, Tebhaga, and Telangana were deeply intertwined with the nationalist movement. Farmers not only resisted exploitative revenue systems and oppressive tenurial arrangements but also lent mass legitimacy to India’s freedom struggle. Their mobilization under leaders like Gandhi, Patel, and Swami Sahajanand transformed local economic grievances into symbols of national dignity and sovereignty.

The 21st century, by contrast, has produced movements framed within democratic contestation. Protests such as the Tamil Nadu drought agitation (2017), Maharashtra’s long march (2018), and the nationwide farm law protests (2020–21) highlight the ongoing agrarian crisis shaped by globalization, market volatility, and ecological stress. These movements differ from their predecessors by focusing on policy correction, using symbolic dramatization, social media mobilization, and urban-centered strategies to amplify their voices. While they underscore the resilience of democracy and the continuing centrality of farmers in India’s polity, they also face challenges of fragmentation, politicization, and allegations of infiltration by separatist or foreign elements.

The comparative analysis in this paper shows that while 20th-century farmer movements were unequivocally nationalist and contributed directly to independence, contemporary protests are more complex. They often serve as democratic correctives but occasionally risk undermining national unity when discipline falters or external agendas intrude. The critical analysis underscores the dual role of farmers as nation-builders and as potential instruments vulnerable to appropriation. The study concludes that the farmer remains central to India’s nationhood, both as a cultivator of food and as a cultivator of democratic values. For future progress, it is imperative that farmers’ movements retain their nationalist ethos, governments engage constructively, and civil society ensures solidarity rooted in unity and integrity.