What are the key demands of protesting Indian farmers? Protesting farmers are poised to embark on their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march today, intensifying pressure on the Centre to address their grievances.
What are the key demands of protesting Indian farmers?
Central to their demands is the enactment of legislation guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops, a critical safety net for farmers navigating market volatility.
Additionally, they seek the repeal of the Electricity Act 2020, justice for farmers killed in Lakhimpur Kheri, and the withdrawal of cases against those involved in prior protests.
Despite some concessions made in recent negotiations, including the government’s offer to drop charges against farmers from previous demonstrations, protesters remain steadfast in their insistence on a statutory assurance for MSP.
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Leading figures in the farmers’ movement, such as Jagjit Singh Dallewal of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Sarwan Singh Pandher of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, express skepticism regarding the government’s sincerity in addressing broader concerns.
While the government proposes the formation of a committee to deliberate on MSP guarantees, debt relief, and the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, farmer representatives remain unconvinced of its efficacy.
The announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 19, 2021, to repeal the contentious farm laws brought an end to a thirteen-month-long standoff.
However, it took nearly nine months for the government to follow through, establishing an expert committee chaired by former Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal on July 12, 2022.
Criticism has been leveled at the committee’s composition, with key states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh notably absent, along with the lack of representation from economists or experts critical of the farm laws.
Beyond their immediate demands, the farmers’ agenda includes reinstating the Land Acquisition Act 2013, withdrawing from the World Trade Organization, and compensating families of deceased protesters.
As anticipation builds for the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, security measures at Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri borders have been significantly heightened.
Delhi police have implemented stringent measures, including the installation of nails along barricades and the use of heavy machinery to deter the entry of protesting vehicles into the city.
