Prof. Noam Chomsky in a conversation with an Indian Scientist turned filmmaker, Bedabrata Pain, discussed the ongoing farmers protest following the months of sit-in protests on the Delhi Border after the Black Farm Bills were introduced by the Union government of India led by Narendra Modi.
Calling the movement a ‘Model of struggle’, the renowned scholar and activist hailed the protesters who are fighting from day one with utmost consistency, enthusiasm and dedication.
Chomsky was asked whether the farmers were doing the right thing by protesting and in response, he called it an ‘Important protest’ and said that it’s amazing that they farmers have been able to keep the momentum up, despite the state pressure and the second wave of Coronavirus variant across the world in general and India, in particular.
He added that in the faces of repression, violence and all sorts of media attacks and so on, the farmers were standing firmly there and fighting for the rights, of not only the farming community but India to be functioning society caring about the rights and welfare of its citizens.
Pain asked Chomsky what would he say to the farmers when the Indian government is asking the farmers to open up their agriculture and let the big businesses and corporates come in and that the corporates would bring in investment, competition, prosperity and efficiency.
Chomsky responded, “I would suggest that they simply look at the facts where he said there was recently a study by the highly reputable RAND corporation – quasi governmental highly regarded corporation.”
He continued, “They tried to estimate how much wealth had been transferred in the past 40 years from the middle class and the working class – lower 90% in income how much had been transferred in last 40 years, from them to the super rich? When we loot at the super rich it is a fraction of 1% their estimate was $47 trillion in 40 years which is severe Underestimate. The international monetary fund and others have given rough estimates of the scale of the robbery to roughly $30‐40 trillion.”
He was further asked about the Indian government’s claims that those who are protesting are influenced by foreign hand. The filmmaker also asked him that why is it that when it comes to protest movements foreign hand is such a dirty word but when it comes to business and politics, but when it comes to business and politics foreign hand is such a welcoming word? Chomsky said by saying that Foreign investment is wonderful foreign tyranny.
“Remember, it’s a tyrannical structure. If you want foreign tyrannies to own your resources, to own your country, to determine your country’s future, then welcome foreign investments,” Chomsky stated.
Finally, Chomsky was asked to give a message to peasants in India who were fighting, to which Prof. Chomsky said that the Farmers should be extremely proud of what they’re doing.
“Because they’re doing the right thing with the courage and integrity for the benefit of their own families, for the farmers of India, the people of India and for the entire world who needs this model of struggle to carry out the same kinds of actions in their own circumstances which share a lot with the circumstances of the farmers of India and they should be proud of what they’re doing and I think this movement is a Beacon of light for the world in dark times,” he expressed.