A group of 49 artistes from theatre and film field have expressed deep concern about the adverse impact the recently introduced farm laws would have on farmers.
In a statement, the artistes, including writers Mu. Ramasamy and Mangai, film actor Pasupathy, theatre artistes Pralayan and Hans Kaushik and dancers Madhusree and Anoushka Kurien, said they were perturbed by the manner in which these laws were hastily passed during the COVID-19 pandemic without a proper consultation with the stakeholders.
These laws that aim at altering the legal framework of India’s agricultural policies would gravely impact small holders and marginal farmers. “Dismantling the minimum support price system will leave them extremely vulnerable to competition from large corporate houses. Disabling the right to legal recourse, by exclusion of adjudication by the judiciary, is unprecedented and smacks of authoritarianism,” they said.
In the statement, the artistes said that lakhs of farmers had been protesting outside Delhi, braving the harsh weather, with a legitimate demand to repeal these laws. “The State, instead of addressing the bona fide concerns of farmers, has chosen to adopt draconian measures, including use of tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters. We strongly condemn such coercive measures to stifle the rights of farmers to protest and express their views.”
Expressing their support, they said they stood in solidarity as artistes who had a stake in upholding the right of every citizen to freedom of expression and urged the Centre to accede to the demands of farmers by repealing all the three Acts and to desist from interfering with the right of citizens to participate in a democracy through a non-violent protest.
