Bharat will conduct the world’s largest elections in the next few months. In the coming weeks, elections date will also be announced. According to political pundits, again in 2024 General Elections, Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance seems to be gaining majority. As people’s faith seems to be unbroken in Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA Government, it was expected that opposition, especially Congress, will try to manufacture a scene to dent NDA in upcoming General Elections. As a result, farmer unions who had been protesting at Delhi borders for nearly 16 months and finally called off their stir after Modi Government withdrew the three farm laws, have started their agitation once again after two years. The same farmer alliances have now called for another “Dilli Chalo” march to press for their so-called remaining demands.
‘Agriculture Needs Reform, Not Just MSP Demands’
Bhupinder Singh Mann, ex MP, National President BKU, issued a strong warning against manipulative elements within the Kisan movement. He emphasised that while demanding Minimum Support Price (MSP) is legitimate, the methods employed by some groups are harmful and driven by ulterior motives.
Mann highlighted the staggering implicit tax burden placed on Indian farmers, estimated at USD 169 billion in 2022 by the OECD. This indirect taxation manifests through high input costs, trade restrictions, and artificially low prices for agricultural produce. He further cited a 2004 study by the Sharad Joshi Task Force which concluded an annual burden of Rs. 1.7 lakh crore on farmers through similar means. He further informed that to a question raised by him in 1995 in Rajya Sabha then Commerce Minister Sh Pranab Mukherjee, who later became President of India, admitted that farmers are heavily taxed through indirect ways. These indirect ways are zonal restrictions, anti farmers laws like essential Commodities Act, 9th Schedule of Constitution.
He expressed concern about “homegrown farm organisations” lacking expertise in agricultural economics and fuelled by emotions, vested interests, or political agendas. He identified three primary groups: those with political ambitions, those with business interests (middlemen and processors), and those driven by communist, Maoist, or Naxalite ideologies aiming to destabilize society.
Guni Prakash, President of Haryana BKU (Mann) and a Member of MSP Committee constituted by GOI slammed the farm leaders and the SKM for failing to give the names to in the MSP Committee constituted by Government of India. He said that the Committee has held about 21 meetings so far and had extensive deliberations on the issue. He said that he along with Sh Gunvant Patil, Shetkari Sanghathna, Sh Peer Pasha Patel farm leader from Maharashtra and Binod Anand (Bihar) have always given inputs in favour of the farmers. But it is very unfortunate that the SKM rather than giving their nominees to the Committee, ran away from discussions.
Mann criticized the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) for refusing to participate in the MSP Committee formed by the government. He emphasised that the committee has held 21 meetings and engaged in extensive discussions. However, the SKM’s absence, he argued, hinders progress and suggests they lack constructive arguments. Mann further condemned the SKM’s approach during the 2020 farm agitation, calling it a missed opportunity for dialogue and reflecting poorly on their commitment to finding solutions. He stressed the detrimental impact this behavior has had on Punjab’s image and economic well-being, leading to social unrest , financial losses and deep economic hurt.
S Mann concluded by urging farmer leaders to engage in constructive dialogue with the Government and avoid actions that cause public inconvenience and further damage Punjab’s reputation.
Importantly, these so-called protesting farmers are also getting exposed very soon. As per media report, on February 14, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal revealed true intention of farmers’ protests. As per report, he was allegedly heard saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity graph rose due to Ram Mandir and it has to be brought down. Speaking to YouTube Channel, Dallewal cited a scuffle between police and protesters and claimed it was a sign of the downfall of PM Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party’s tenure. Therefore, it is very much clear that this agitation has been organised for political motive. It has nothing to do with the farmers’ interest.
Assistance to Punjab
- Fertiliser subsidy
In last six years (upto Jan 2024) 62 lakh farmers got 263 lakh tons of subsidised fertilisers with total subsidy of approx Rs 55154 crore - Agriculture Infrastructure Fund
Since launch in 2020, 9775 projects sanctioned, loan amount of Rs 2740 crore disbursed which attracted investments worth Rs 4586 crore - PM KISAN
RS 4,758.37 crore has been disbursed to 23,36,836 beneficiaries so far - Pradhan Mantri Kisan MaanDhan Yojana (PMKMY)
Since inception in 2019 14,604 farmers have registered in the state - Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM)
Since inception in 2014-15, Rs. 102.68 crores have been released, distributed 12,666 number of machines to individual farmers and established 1256 number of Custom Hiring Centres
Assistance to Haryana
- Fertiliser subsidy
In last six years (upto Jan 2024) 188.19 lakh tons of subsidised fertilisers were made available with total subsidy of approx Rs 40,058 crore - PM KISAN
Rs 5,058.38 crore has been disbursed to 19,74,612 beneficiaries so far - Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna
( PMFBY):
Since 2016, as against farmers’ share of premium of Rs 2,394 crores, claims worth Rs 8,138 crore have been paid to farmers - Pradhan Mantri Kisan Mandhan Yojana (PMKMY)
Since inception in 2019, about 4,32,537 farmers have registered in the state - Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (From launch of scheme in July 2020 till date)
2374 projects sanctioned, loan amount of Rs 2000 crore disbursed which attracted investments worth Rs 3750 crore
In this protest, violence is also continuously being reported from day one. On February 13, at the Punjab-Haryana border, about 60 people including farmers, police and media people, were injured. Stones were pelted by the protesting farmers. Owing to this, Haryana Police detained protesting farmers at Shambhu border. Protesting farmers also damaged a bridge and forcibly tried to remove barricades that were erected to halt their march to Delhi.
‘Some people exploiting strength of farmers for political interests’
The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh has been consistently struggling for the demand of remunerative prices based on the cost of production of farmers’ produce. It has been maintaining a strong dialogue with the governments of the country in support of the farmers. Where dialogue does not yield results, agitation is also carried out, said Mohini Mohan Mishra, the All India Secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh(BKS), in a press release issued on February 12. He said that the BKS staged a disciplined and peaceful demonstration of one lakh farmers in Delhi’s Ramleela Maidan on December 19, 2023, known as the Kisan Aakrosh Rally. Farmers from all over the country came to Delhi, conveyed their message to the Government peacefully, and returned without disturbing anyone.
Mishra said that when some people exploit strength of farmers’ for their political interests, it causes pain. The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh firmly believes that when political agitations are carried out in the name of farmers, only the farmers suffer losses. The agitations in Mandsaur and Delhi in the past years were evidence. In some places, the figure has even reached up to a hundred, where farmers had to sacrifice their lives. Their issues and demands are genuine. Therefore, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh urges that political maneuvering in the name of farmers during elections should be stopped. Organisations fighting for farmers’ interests are continuously fighting to resolve farmers’ issues. The Government, regardless of whose it may be, is also coming up with solutions to farmers’ problems through consensus. Remunerative prices based on cost are the right of the farmer and they should get it. Today, the main problem of farmers is with seeds and markets, whether inside or outside the market.
Mishra said that when political agitations are carried out in the name of farmers during elections, the violence, anarchic atmosphere, and damage to the nation’s assets give rise to negative feelings towards farmers in society. The struggling farmers have to bare the brunt for their own betterment. Therefore, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh does not support violent agitations. Our appeal is that those who want to fulfil their political interests should do so. But do not create negative feelings towards farmers in society. We reiterate that remunerative prices based on cost are the right of the farmer and they should get it.
Demands of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh
- The right to remunerative prices based on cost belongs to the farmers
- GST on agricultural inputs should be abolished
- Enhancement in the Farmers’ Respect Fund
- Organic, not poison; no permission for GM seeds
- Seed is the right of the farmers
- Market prices should not fall below the declared support price. The Government should ensure this
Like the earlier protest, this time too farmers’ protest has not only become a big challenge for the administration, but also for the common people. Farmers’ agitation has disrupted daily life of commuters in National Capital Region. Stringent curbs have been announced in NCR. Commuters around the Delhi-NCR regions have been struggling with heavy traffic jams as a result. The police authorities have placed multiple layers of barricades on the Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur borders to prevent the farmers from marching into the capital. Also, traffic movement of the capital has been impacted adversely.
Now coming to the demands of farmers during this agitation, which appears to be very difficult to accomplish. key demands by protesting farmers are; law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, compensation for farmers killed in Lakhimpur Kheri, withdrawal of cases against protesters involved in farmers’ protest in 2020-21, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act 2013, withdrawal from the World Trade Organisation and compensation for families of deceased farmers from previous agitation.
In all these demands, MSP has become the point of discussion. Many economic experts have raised the question if it is possible to fulfil this demand for any Government.
Economic experts are of the view that the total value of agricultural produce is at Rs 40 lakh crore (FY20). This includes produce from dairy, farming, horticulture, livestock, and MSP crops. The market value of the total agricultural produce is at Rs 10 lakh crore (FY20). These include 24 crops that are included in the MSP purview. For FY20, the total MSP procurement stood at Rs 2.5 lakh crore that is 6.25 per cent of the total agricultural produce. If an MSP guarantee law were to be introduced, the Government would be looking at an additional expenditure of at least Rs 10 lakh crore, annually. Rs 10 lakh crore is also more than the annual average expenditure we have had on our infrastructure in the last seven fiscal years (Rs 67 lakh crore, between 2016 and 2023). Therefore, it is not feasible to fulfil this demand.
Now coming to the political aspect of the protest, Congress, which is losing elections after elections across the country, has tried to consolidate its vote share in the name of farmers’ agitation since the beginning. In 2020, farmers’ protest intensified across the Northern part of Bharat, especially in Haryana and Punjab, when Rahul Gandhi led tractor rallies, from October 4 to October 6, across Punjab in protest against the farm laws. Subsequently, anti-Bharat forces, tried to use this protest as a weapon against the Government.
Now again this time, when so-called farmers have started agitation, Congress is leaving no stone unturned to use this for its political gain. Supporting this agitation, the Congress party on February 13 said that it will fulfil their key demand of a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops once the opposition I.N.D.I. bloc comes to power. Ironically, this is the same Congress that earlier didn’t agree on this demand. Through multiple reports during 2004-2006, Swaminathan Committee’s National Commission on Farmers had made its recommendation on MSP, which the then Congress-led UPA Government did not accept the recommendation citing ‘counter-productivity’.
In 2010, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Prakash Javadekar in the Rajya Sabha had asked the UPA Government if it would accept the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission regarding calculation of remunerative prices to be paid to farmers.
In response, KV Thomas, the then Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, had stated in a written reply, “The National Commission on Farmers under the chairmanship of Prof. MS Swaminathan has recommended the minimum support price (MSP) should be at least 50 per cent or more than the weighted average cost of production.”
The fact of the matter is that Congress often makes promises to gain power, by keeping family first before the nation and its development. Congress’ words don’t match its deeds. The big examples are Himachal and Karnataka, where the party is in power. In these two States, the party came to power making tall promises, but it has failed to fulfil people’s aspirations.
Notably, in July 2023, it was the Congress leader and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who said that the Congress Government cannot provide development this year, in a candid remark aimed at making his party’s miffed lawmakers understand the financial constraints due to the five guarantees.
Having said that, the farmers’ protest, supported by people from outside and few political parties, is nothing but part of a conspiracy to stop Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party in General Elections 2024.
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