We often see the word
‘farmer’ being uttered
by a panellist or anchor
on a primetime debate.
But we hardly see anything further
or what could be classified
as ground reporting.
Different governments claim
their policies have benefited
the farmers the most
and convert it into a competition
of who could lie more.
Where eventually
what we see is a farmer
drinking pesticide
or hanging himself from a tree.
The administration silently
sneaks out a hefty sum
of money from what was
to be handed over to the
farmer drowning in debt
whose field was washed off
by the flood, but all is normal
in the country
till a rich actor dies
before a state election.
And if by mistake
they raise their voice,
or start a protest march,
they are labelled
anti-nationalists
by the least national of us all.
Sutputra Radheye is a poet.
Featured image credit: Reuters