Government Mishandling of Punjab Farmer Protests Empowers Fringe Groups, Reveals Missteps
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The Modi government misread the Punjab farmers' protests from the start, seeing them as driven by religious separatism rather than economic concerns. This led to a series of missteps.
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The government failed to negotiate effectively with protest leaders or understand the determination of the protesters.
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There was a lack of credible Punjabi/Sikh interlocutors to negotiate on the government's behalf.
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The government's defeat over the farm laws empowered fringe separatist groups overseas like Nijjar and Pannun.
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The government needs to refocus efforts on the actual situation in Punjab rather than fighting battles overseas against insignificant groups.