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BY PAWAN LUTHRA

s2020 drawsto aclose, itlookslike thepande1nic isless of aconcern to the governmentin India as opposed to thefarmersgatheringonthe outskirtsofDelhi.

SALES

Charuta Joshi

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Aswe go toprint,hundreds of thousandsareca1npedoutsideDelhi to protestagainstwhattheysayis thecorporatisationoffarmingby the Modigovernment. Thefarmers, largely from Punjab, are being joined by their fellowfarmersfromacross thenation. Theferocity ofthepassion behind theprotest-and some starkimagesof police brutality-mayhavegalvanised the Modigovernmentininitiatingtalks withthefarmers,butto datethereis littleprogresstowardsresolution.

Like allthingsthisdecade,social 1nediahaslitupwithvarious experts paradingaroundextolling-or criticising- thenewagriculturelaws.

Whathas beeninteresting tonoteis theinternationalisationofthefarmers' protest, assupportcomesinfromthe United Kingdom, Canada, and the

UnitedStates. Fromapoliticalleadershippointof view, thestrongestremarkshavecome fromCanadian PrimeMinisterJustin Trudeauwhohassupportedtherights of Indianfarmerstoprotestpeacefully. Thishasnot been takenkindly by the Indiangovern1nent, whichin a pressreleaseissuedbythe Ministry of External Affairs,said thatsuch com1nentshave"encouraged" extremist activities outsidethe Indianmissionsin Canada. Indiahaswarnedthatremarks of theCanadianleadershiponfarmer protests would lead toincreasingantiIndiaralliesin Canada.

Otherpoliticiansinthe United Kingdomand Australiahave also added theirvoices to the ongoingprotestsin Indiawith communitygroupsjoiningin globally.

Thenewbreed ofNonResident Indiancontinues to engage deeplywith theircountryof origin, andcomes forwardreadilyto showsupport- beit for theIndian cricketteamatthe SCG, orchangesto Article 370, or theIndian CitizenshipAmendment Act.

An earlydemonstrationofsuchdeep engagementwiththemothercountry cameduringthe Indianelections of 2014, whenpro Modisupporters congregatedaticonicspotssuchasthe

Sydney OperaHouse andMelbourne's Federation Squareasresultswere declaredin India. Perhapsthemost vocaloutpouringofpatrioticfervour was the Pulwamaprotestmarchin Sydney CBDagainstallegedPakistan led terrorism. WhenCAAlegislation wasannounced, wesawbothpro and antiralliesinParramatta andSydney's CBD.

Thisinternationalisationof domesticpoliticsisindeeda doubleedgedsword. Thejuryis still out whetherweshouldbebringing contentious topics'frombackhome' outinthemainstream.Thenagain, with social mediaplayingsucha pivotalroleinhighlighting ourissues, visionopportunities ofsupporters anddetractorsagainstinternational landmarks do addan additionalgravitas to thesituation.

Meanwhile, asweprepareto bid adieuto2020,wecan'thelp butlook back atayear thatwasfilled with unknowns, andonewhichforcedus tore-evaluate variousaspectsofour lives. If 'pivot' was thewordweused frequentlyin2020,perhapsthe word for 2021 will be 'agile' -as welearnto workthroughissuesinsmarterways. Wishingyouandyourloved ones a great2021.

If you haveany symptoms, geta freetestand stay homeuntil youget your results. Youdon'thave to bean Australian citizen or permanent resident.