Farmers movement and pressure group politics

Starting in the mid-sixties of the twentieth century the Green Revolution in India has brought about a tremendous change in the socio-political scene in the areas of its operation. It has changed the very complexion of agricul ture as well as the social and political position of the different strata of the peasantry.

Farming in the selected areas of its operation is no more subsistence-oriented, it has become market-oriented. Consequently, it has become subservient and susceptible to the vagaries of market economy. It has also brought about social and political ascendency of the peasant castes in the regions where it has taken roots. The terms of trade from the seventies onward have tilted against agriculture, political ascendency notwithstanding.

The educated and politically awakened section of the peasantry has been able to articulate the problems of the peasantry and organise the farmers into strong non-party agriculturist's unions. The emergence of non party autonomous farmers' unions is a recent phenomenon. And it is this phenomenon that the present study is devoted to.

How and why have such organizations come up? What strategies and courses of action do they adopt towards the fulfilment of their demands? What sort of leadership do they throw up? What place do such groups occupy in the farmer's movement in Punjab? All these and a host of other important related and relevant questions have been examined on the basis of empirical data about the organisation and activities of the BKU in the Punjab. This case study analyses and explains the farmers' movement under the leadership of Punjab Khetibari Zimindara Union from 1972 to 1980 and BKU from 1980 to 1988. The overall framework in which the study of the function ing of the organisation has been made is that of a pressure group.

The present study will be of interest to the students of political sociology, political economy, peasant studies, and political science in general.