A farmer at Shambhu border (Punjab-Haryana) during farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march, near Ambala, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Farmers from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab have initiated a 'Dilli Chalo' march today to advocate for their demands regarding land acquisition, Minimum Support Price (MSP), and other issues.
The march has been called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
Heavy security measures have been implemented along Delhi's borders, including the placement of concrete barricades, barbed wires, and tyre busters to restrict farmers' movement.
Earlier this month, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman referenced 'four castes' in her Interim Budget speech on February 1, stating that the government's utmost priority was the welfare of what she termed the four new castes – the poor (Garib), women (Mahilayen), youth (Yuva), and farmers (Annadata). However, the barriers preventing protesting farmers from entering the national capital seem to convey a different story.
Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher told reporters, "The government is torturing farmers and it seems like Punjab and Haryana are not a part of India anymore".
Farmers have been demanding a law guaranteeing MSP and land acquisition rights among other things.
Here's a list of their demands:
MSP: Enactment of a law guaranteeing MSP for crops all crops. When they agreed to withdraw their agitation against the now-repealed farm laws in 2021, the farmers set MSP enactment as a condition.
Debt waiver: Implementation of Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations to provide debt waivers.
Land Acquisition: Compensation for land acquired by various authorities for developmental projects, and reservation of 10 per cent of residential plots on developed lands for their families.
World Trade Organisation (WTO): Withdrawal from WTO and imposition of ban on all Free Trade Agreements (FTA).
Lakhimpur Kheri massacre: Punishment of perpetrators of the massacre and delivering justice to farmers.
Pension: Allocation of pension to farmers and farm labourers.
Electricity Amendment Bill 2020: Scrapping the bill because farmers fear the growing privatisation of electricity and don't trust the state governments to pay subsidies on time.
Compensation for life loss during 2020-2021 agitation: Monetary compensation to families of farmers who died during the 2020-2021 agitation. The demand also includes employment for one family member.
MGNREGA: 200 days of employment per year with a daily wage of Rs 700.
National Commission for Spices: Formation of the commission for different spices.
Protection of rights of indigenous people: Protection of land, forests and water sources belonging to tribal communities.
Seed quality: Improving seed quality by penalising companies which produce fake seeds, pesticides and fertilisers.