WHEN- 1970s and 80s

WHERE- Different parts of India, most dominant uprisings in Punjab and Tamil Nadu

WHY- prices, taxation, and related issues [non repayment of loans, lower the prices for agricultural inputs and essentials like water and electricity, introduce crop insurance, taxation, higher output prices, etc.]

WHAT- The movement was-
1. Regionally organised
2. Non party [farmers united together without any political influence]
3. Involved farmers and not peasants [peasants- grow plants for self consumption; farmers- involved in market, grow for self consumption well as selling]
4. Were strongly anti-state and anti-urban– basic ideology of the movement

HOW- lakhs of farmers came together and used novel methods of agitation were like:
1. road and railways blocking- dharnas, rasta roko
2. refusing politicians and bureaucrats’ entry in their villages- gavband
3. boycott of mandis by refusing to sell farm produce especially onion, cotton and tobacco or refusing to sell at low prices- increased output prices due to demand
4. marches and rallies
5. refusal in paying taxes and bill arrears

BROADENED AGENDA- The movements progressed and broadened its agenda to environmental and women issues, becoming one of the ‘new social movements.’

INTERESTING FACT- The movement was led by numerous dominant caste, upper class farmers for the land taxes, interests, and land related laws affected them significantly too. For small farmers, they were already in a turmoil with the non affordable changes introduced in he green revolution, and the revenue laws posed even more threat to their livelihood. Sociologists question if this was an advanced form of the older peasants movement.