Jawan-Kisan-Karmik: Unhappy salt of the earth

Job-seeking 10th-pass youth are overwhelmingly from rural-agricultural communities, which constitute about 60% of our 1.35-billion people. They are from small-farmer – owning less than 2-hectares land –kisan families. Other job-seekers are from towns and cities, hailing from worker – karmik – families associated with the organised or unorganised sectors, or are part of the unorganised, migrant labour, who are again mostly from rural-agricultural landless kisan background.

The many millions of unemployed youth hail from kisan or karmik families, and seek jobs in the commercial or industrial sector, or preferably in state or central governments.

The recently-announced Agnipath scheme is for recruiting youth of 17.5 to 21-years age for below-officer-rank 4-year-service engagement in the Armed Forces, in the rank of “Agniveer”. Every Agniveer will invariably belong to a kisan or karmik family. On completing the 4-year service, selected Agniveers (maximum 25%) will be offered retention as regular Jawans in the Armed Forces. The Agniveers not thus selected will become job-seekers in the age group 21.5 to 25 years, starting 2026-27.

A Jawan completing 15-year service retires at age 38-42 years. He understands that when he returns to his kisan or karmik home on retirement, he will probably join the ranks of the unemployed, because securing a job is extremely difficult.

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Ex-Jawans have a difficult life, because their pension and retirement benefits are inadequate for the financial needs of a growing family, typically with children aged 6-10 years at the time of their retirement. Very few from land-owner kisan families revert to their former kisan life – most ex-Jawans seek urban employment in the interest of their children’s education. Ex-Jawans who fortunately secure a state or central government Group ‘D’ job are relatively better off.

Jawans remain linked with their kisan or karmik home community, and most ex-Jawans maintain regular contact with their serving comrades. Thus Jawans – serving and retired – comprise an organic whole.

Farm laws and Kisan

The government passed three farm laws as Ordinances in June 2020, as part of “agricultural reforms”. Farmers objected to these as being against their interests and demanded their repeal. However, the government enacted the farm laws against this opposition, making them effective September 27, 2020.

Farmers began an unprecedented peaceful agitation at the gates of Delhi and elsewhere in the country, starting November 26, 2020, with clearly stated demands. Among the agitating farmers were large numbers of ex-Jawans back in their kisan communities.

The agitating farmers braved winter, summer and monsoon rain hardships. Many died. Farmers and government held several rounds of talks, with the government adamant that farmers withdraw the agitation, and farmers equally adamant that they would withdraw their peaceful agitation only after the farm laws were repealed and other demands satisfied.

After the government agreed to form a committee comprising members of the farmers’ groups and government officials to settle MSP and other core issues, the farmers withdrew the agitation 380 days later, on December 11, 2021.

The government notified the formation of the committee. But today, months later, farmers say that the government has failed to respond to their questions (sent on March 24, 2022) concerning the committee’s Terms of Reference, the names of its chairman and members from the government’s side, the time for the committee to submit its report, and whether the recommendations would be binding on the government. Importantly, farmers allege that the committee’s agenda does not include the farmers’ demand of legal guarantee of MSP to assure fair price for crops. Thus, farmers reject this committee and will not send names of their representatives on it.

It remains to be seen how this stand-off pans out, but it is very clear that the Jawan-Kisan is deeply unhappy.

Labour Codes and Karmiks

On November 26, 2020, an estimated 250 million workers from different sectors belonging to 10 central trade unions and hundreds of workers’ associations, struck work in what may have been the biggest nationwide strike, protesting against the “anti-worker” and pro-corporate policies and labour laws, as well as the farm laws. Possibly for the first time in post-Independence India, this displayed the kisan-karmik bond.

The government introduced four new Labour Codes to amalgamate and refine 29 existing laws and simplify and modernise labour regulation. There is undoubted benefit in simplifying working around multiple labour laws, and this was welcomed by the industrial lobby. But the new Labour Codes were drafted without consultation with workers’ organisations and unions. Unorganised sector workers remain out of focus.

Workers’ unions claim that the Labour Codes make it even more difficult for workers to unionise, strike, and demand wages, and worsens their already unequal capacity to bargain. They call the Labour Codes as “anti-labour codes of bondage”. The disaffection of karmiks with the Labour Codes is abundantly clear.

People’s unrest

Our country’s economic downturn, magnified by the government’s social-economic-political policies and executive decisions, was intensified by the Covid pandemic and the Ukraine war. Today, the majority of 1.35 billion Indians live in very difficult conditions. Our youth – about 40%, or 540 million – see no viable future for themselves. NYP-2014 (National Youth Policy) for empowering youth, has failed them.

Unemployed kisan and karmik youths are growing in numbers, especially including those who cannot pass 10th Class for whatever reason, and there is growing public discontent and anger. As prices rise, kisan and karmik families are cutting back on food, and hunger is added to endemic hardship.

Jawan, Kisan and Karmik youths have come together with their real-life economic concerns. PM Lal Bahadur Shastri’s rousing 1965 call of “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan”, expands to “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Jai Karmik”, representing 70% of our population, including the youth.

The government would do well to step back and re-assess the economic and financial distress that people are undergoing. It has led to high levels of countrywide economic discontent, pain and suffering, with consequent unrest. The farm and labour laws have aggravated their problems, instead of solving them. Using police-military force to suppress protests can only exacerbate the situation.

Neglecting people’s unrest cannot be in the national interest, especially since China and Pakistan benefit from it.