THE historic victory of the kisan struggle in forcing the government to roll back the anti-farmer, pro-corporate three farm laws underlines the importance of the politics of mass struggle. 

The strength of the farmers’ united movements under the leadership of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM – “United Farmers’ Front”) put the government on the defensive with the struggle organically transforming into a mass struggle against the ruling BJP and its governments at the centre and in several states. 

This transformation with direct and spontaneous kisan mobilisations against BJP leaders’ visits to villages in Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh was linked to the real-life experiences of the kisans themselves of the arrogant and aggressive promotion of corporate interests when kisans were suffering due to a variety of reasons created by government policies. The Lakhimpur Kheri atrocity (a vehicle-ramming attack on a protest that led to eight deaths in ensuing violence) symbolised both realities — that of kisan mobilisation and the other of the brutal nature of the BJP response.