Page:Sharad Joshi - Leading Farmers to the Centre Stage.pdf/313

 are committing political suicide.” But Joshi did not change his stance and never minced his words. At every meeting of SS, Dunkel Draft was welcomed. In the farmers’ rally at Shegaon on 10 November 1991, resolutions were passed welcoming the new liberalized economy. On 31 March 1993, Joshi took initiative in leading the “Freedom to Farmers” procession in New Delhi which was to welcome Dunkel Draft. Aurangabad convention of SS on 29 October 1993 also welcomed Dunkel Draft. Some years later, Mike Moore, the third Director General of WTO, travelled to India and Joshi met him in New Delhi on 10 January 2000. On behalf of the Indian farmers Joshi expressed full support to WTO. Moore expressed appreciation of the stand Joshi had taken consistently in support of WTO. A farmers’ leader from a developing country supporting Dunkel Draft, WTO, genetically modified seeds and overall free economy was quite unusual. Becoming a signatory of WTO and joining it was a natural extension of Dunkel Draft. Eventually India also joined WTO as did almost all the countries of the world including China. The initial opposition melted away; though not in public rhetoric, at least at the policy level. WTO had been beneficial to the nation and that is why even the parties which had staunchly opposed it while they were in opposition had continued being a part of WTO when they came to power. However, credit was never given to Joshi for championing the cause of WTO and liberalization so consistently. Freedom had always been the most sacred value for Joshi. In a way he got into this farmers’ struggle because he believed that agriculture was the most shackled segment of society. When liberalization started in India in July 1991, Joshi said that it should be applicable to agriculture as well. Unfortunately, that has not happened even today. But Joshi was satisfied that at least 292

Q

Sharad Joshi : Leading Farmers to the Centre Stage