So, yesterday, starting 11, me, @karanbhasin95, amongst other folks started a discussion on the new farm laws. Honestly, we didn't expect more than 30-50 people, but soon, the room had over 250 people at around 0100 hours IST, and we had some interesting insights at the end.

It was a 4-hour discussion, followed by an after-party that lasted until 0500 hours IST, and there was no aspect of the new laws that were not discussed. Politics, economics, the potential for the private sector, and everything one can think of was answered.

Now, it wasn't an ArGo's Republic like debate, given at any given point, there were not more than 12-15 speakers on the stage, and the rest were listeners. We had participants from all political spectrums, even some from extremist groups, and some with Khalistani ambitions.

Even with some rogue elements, everyone had the choice to voice their opinions, and it went on pretty well. Of course, there were the occasional rants, but for more than 95% of the duration, people were speaking their minds, and getting civil responses. So, good that way.

At around 4, even I called it a day, but hours later, now, as I type this thread, I can simply bottle down the resistance to the new farm laws in three simple points. @karanbhasin95 too will agree with this assessment for sure, as would other the moderators from the discussion.

The resistance to the new laws can be summed up in 3 points, or attributed to three groups. And I'll go about explaining these groups one by one.

One, the folks who hate India. They are far less, but they are there. These are your NRIs, your woke folks sitting in UK, Canada, and elsewhere, and ones who haven't stepped a foot in Punjab for years, or even India, but will make such dumb claims that you can't help but laugh.

They hate India because they see the Khalistani idea as still a plausible one, they see India being cruel to their minorities, will use words like 'genocide', 'persecution', 'suppression', and similar words to make a point. No factual backing, but they will continue to rant.

I remember one lady from a foreign nation going bonkers on how India treats its minorities, and how all minorities are on the verge of genocide, and what utter foolish nonsense. Of course, @Shubhrastha Ji then gave her back well, followed by others in the group.

And this lot, they know nothing about the farm laws, nothing at all. For some, the argument begins like 'It's not about the economics of the farm laws, but 'what sugarcoated nonsense I want to recite in a poetic manner'. They mislead others too. Simply put, THEY HATE INDIA.

You can't reason with them, because reasoning with them warrants a headache pill, and loss of hair after tearing them apart. And this is is the lot that cannot be a part of the civil discourse, because they don't give one heck about farmers, but only about their propaganda.

Now, to the second group. This one doesn't hate India, in fact, they love it as much we do, but they HATE MODI. No other reason, but pure hatred for Modi is what prompts them to speak against farm laws. We have similar characters in academia and MSM too.

For them, the laws are great, but not great because Modi got them. Modi may have got 250 million votes, but he has a trust deficit problem. Modi may have good intentions but we can't trust him. Modi doesn't understand farmers. Modi this, Modi that. The problem for them is MODI.

They are a significant lot but don't doubt their love for India. However, their hate for Modi is unexplainable, and most of them themselves do not know why they hate Modi. Seeing them, their tribe keeps growing, and the resistance to the farm laws continues. Now, to the last one.

The final lot is one that does not even know what the farm laws are about. They may or may not like Modi, but farm laws, they surely do not know. For them, the entire argument around farm laws boils down to one aspect- MSP. Nothing else. As if there is no other aspect to Agri.

Haven't read the fine print, haven't gone into the details, do not check the potential for the private sector, do not see the progress private sector is making, but compare the incoming private sector with some evil spirit that will consume farmers and their lands. It's so sad.

But this is the lot you can reason with, you can discuss with, and they do like to listen, and they do give their own perspectives, and they make the discussion worth it. However, the first two groups just make it an endless rant about India or Modi's India. It's terrible.

There are also some people, very few, who think that Hindus cannot speak for Punjab, again, very very very few people, and see the first claim of Sikhs to the state, given the political nature of the protest. To them, I must say, that 40% of the population of the state is Hindus.

The most common argument is that the new laws will eventually abolish APMCs and MSP, just like CAA implementation was going to lead to NRC and take citizenship of Indian Muslims. No factual backing, just sugarcoated rhetoric crowded in fancy words and phrases. NO FACTS! NONE!