Kisan Diwas or National Farmers’ Day is celebrated across the nation on December 23 to commemorate the birth anniversary of the fifth Prime Minister of India, Chaudhary Charan Singh. He held the post between 1979 and 1980. In addition, the day is celebrated in honour of the contribution of Indian farmers and to glorify their importance in the country. This year, the day will be celebrated in the backdrop of the three contentious farm laws’ withdrawal.
In 2001, the government of India declared December 23, the day Chaudhary Charan Singh was born, to be celebrated as National Farmers’ Day and for all the right reasons.
Why is the Day Celebrated on Chaudhary Charan Singh’s Birth Anniversary?
The decision by the government in 2001 was taken to recognise Chaudhary Charan Singh’s contribution to the upliftment of farmers, and the development of the agriculture sector. He brought some of the most remarkable reforms in the agrarian sector and is titled by many historians as the ‘Champion of India’s Peasants.’
Chaudhary Charan Singh: His Roots and the seeds he sowed
Chaudhary Charan Singh was born in 1902 in a middle-class peasant family in Noorpur, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. He earned his bachelor’s degree in science in 1923, followed by his post-graduation in 1925 from Agra University. He was also a practitioner of law and was an active participant in the country’s freedom struggle.
Born in a middle-class family, Chaudhary Charan Singh was deeply connected with the farmers of the country and wanted to work for rural India.
Chaudhary Charan Singh was the brains behind the land reforms that changed the face of agriculture in the biggest agrarian state of the country, Uttar Pradesh, for good. Among his works for the agricultural sectors was the notable Debt Redemption Bill 1939, which brought showers of relief to farmers who were indebted to money-lenders. It also reflected positively on the number of suicides committed by farmers.
Another transforming bill designed by Charan Singh was the Land Holding Act of 1960, which came into force while he was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. The law ensured uniformity in the state by capping the landholdings of an individual. He also worked for the Zamindari Abolition Act of 1950 while he was the Agricultural Minister of the state.
Chaudhary Charan Singh breathed his last on January 14, 1980. A memorial dedicated to him was built at Raj Ghat and is called ‘Kisan Ghat.’
