The mindset of Indian farmers have been changed and now people care more about the rural crisis than Ayodhya, said senior journalist and founder of People's Archive of Rural India (PAARi) P Sainath.

“It gives me great hope because it means farmers are moving from a mindset of acute demoralisation to active protest. Acute demoralisation leads to suicides, active protests lead to the assertion of rights in a democracy,” Sainath told CNBC-TV18.

Last week, thousands of farmers converged in Delhi from across the country to press their demands including debt relief and remunerative prices for their produce.

Farmers from 200 organisations have converged at Ramlila Maidan and marched to Parliament Street. With less than two weeks to go for the winter session of Parliament, the farmers were demanding a special session dedicated to farmers and passage of two bills, the freedom of indebtedness bill and a bill to generate remunerative MSP.

When asked about whether the demands by the farmers might pass in the winter session, Sainath said, “It may not happen in this session but there will be people who are speaking about it. I think you are going to see a general rise in political consciousness which to me is far better than a general rise in the numbers of Kar Sevak descending in Ayodhya."

First Published:Dec 6, 2018 6:51 PM IST