The left in India is woefully silent on this movement and has not even summarized the significance of the movement, let alone learn anything from it. The left in US today remains fairly unconcerned about the enduring farm crisis in the country. But should it remain aloof from it?
Is there a problem with the “center-of-attention” of the left worldwide? Has it got side-tracked into politics of disinformation and politics of diversion? Has it become more or less a side-show for liberalism? Is it getting so caught up with electoral politics that it is failing to set a new agenda and a different direction for the working people?
This talk is to raise questions what we need to do or do differently to seize the initiative in today’s world.
Speaking: Bedabrata Pain
Making the documentary on farm crisis – both in the US and India, as well as being on the ground of the historic Indian farm movement that forced the right-wing strongman prime minister Narendra Modi to retreat for the first time in his political life, cannot but make one wonder about what must be done differently in our political engagement. After summarizing the Indian movement and the American farm experience, the talk will dwell on the lessons of the farm movement in India and market reforms in both countries. And in doing so, it will try to assess the role played by the left.
