New Delhi:

Farmers pushing the government to revamp the MSP, or minimum support price, policy met Congress MP Rahul Gandhi inside the Parliament complex Wednesday morning.

Mr Gandhi, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, met a delegation of 12 farmer leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

Senior Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Deepender Singh Hooda were also part of the meeting, as were MPs Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.

There was confusion before the meeting as the farmers were not allowed inside. “We invited them… but they are not allowing them inside Parliament. They are farmers, maybe this is why…” Mr Gandhi said.

“…you will have to ask the Prime Minister the reason for this…”

कुछ किसान मुझसे मिलना चाहते थे, इसलिए मैंने उन्हें अंदर ऑफिस में बुलाया था।

लेकिन उन्हें अंदर आने नहीं दिया गया, इसका कारण आपको प्रधानमंत्री से पूछना पड़ेगा।

: नेता विपक्ष श्री @RahulGandhi

संसद परिसर, नई दिल्ली pic.twitter.com/jbidAjAFqV

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 24, 2024

“Rahul Gandhi will raise the voice of farmers inside Parliament…” Mr Warring told NDTV after the meeting. On reports the farmers are planning another march on Delhi, he said, “They have all rights to come to Delhi and protest (and) if a private member’s bill is required then we will bring that too.”

Earlier, sources said the farmers spoke to Mr Gandhi about issues in their respective states, and also asked him to introduce a private member’s bill to fulfill long-standing demands – to revise MSP and ensure legal backing. These demands have been at the core of their protests since it began in 2020.

Farmer unions across the country want the MSP – a purchase guarantee set by the government to protect agriculturists from steep fall in crop prices – to be based on the Swaminathan Commission’s C2+50 formula, which factors in cost of capital and land rent when calculating support prices.

READ | “Rejected”: Farmers Dismiss Centre’s 5-Year MSP Contract Offer

The government, however, is reluctant to drop the existing A2+FL+50 per cent method.

Apart from changing the formula, farmers also want legal backing for this purchase price; at present the government is not obliged to buy, for example, 10 per cent of a paddy crop at the floor price.

In 2020/21 lakhs of farmers gathered to march on Delhi, prompting the government to set up war-zone like defence measures around the national capital. The ‘farmer army’ – complete with tractors and supplies for a months-long siege – was held to makeshift camps blocking key roads into the city.

NDTV Explains | What Are Key Demands Of Farmers That Remain Unresolved?

The furore over the protests also made international headlines and sparked bitter fights between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition, led by Mr Gandhi’s Congress.

After months of blockades around Delhi and violent clashes between farmers and police in various states, the government was forced to stand down and roll back three contentious farm laws.

The MSP issue, however, has rumbled on, with farmers insistent the formula change.

A second round of protests – a ‘Delhi Chalo 2.0’ that also demanded loan waivers and freezing of electricity tariffs for farmers – erupted in February, months before a general election in which the BJP lost seats in key states and after talks with the farmers failed to resolve the situation.

READ | Farmers Prep For Delhi March After Haryana Told To Remove Blocks

The February protests were paused after the government made a fresh offer, but that was rejected by the farmers; the government had, they said, again failed to meet a core demand – the MSP row.

NDTV Explains | Centre’s 5-Year MSP Plan, And Why Farmers Are Not Convinced

The government had proposed a five-year MSP contract, based on the old formula.

Meanwhile, on Monday two farmer unions – the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha – declared they would burn effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

They also plan to take out a nationwide tractor rally on August 15, Independence Day.

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New Delhi:

Farmer leaders on Friday announced that the future course of action regarding their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march will be decided on February 29. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), spearheading the protests, outlined a list of activities planned for the next week. Until then, the farmers are determined to hold their ground at two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border – Shambhu and Khanauri.

A candle march is scheduled for today, followed by seminars on farmer-related issues tomorrow. On February 26, the protestors intend to burn effigies of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and ministers. In addition, several meetings of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha forums are slated for the subsequent two days.

The demands put forth by the protesting farmers, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP), the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, and a farm loan waiver, remain at the core of the agitation. 

A protester died and a dozen police personnel were injured during clashes at Khanauri on Wednesday, prompting the farmers to defer their march for two days. Shubhkaran Singh, a 21-year-old native of Bathinda, died in the clash. The farmer leaders expressed their grievances with the Punjab government regarding the registration of an FIR in Mr Singh’s death and insisted that the cremation would not proceed until their demands were met.

The situation escalated as the farmers criticised the Punjab Police for hesitating to file an FIR against security personnel from Haryana, whom the protestors held responsible for Mr Singh’s death. The farmers are demanding not only justice but also ‘martyr’ status for Mr Singh.

In response, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced compensation of Rs 1 crore and a government job for Mr Singh’s sister. However, this move failed to appease the protestors, as they insisted on the registration of an FIR against those responsible for the young farmer’s death.

The farmer leaders also announced the death of another protesting farmer, 62-year-old Darshan Singh from Amargarh village in Bathinda, who died of a heart attack at the Khanauri border, marking the fourth casualty during the ongoing protests.

Finance Minister’s Promise

Amidst these developments, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday that the Centre has formed a three-member committee of ministers to engage in negotiations with the farmers. Ms Sitharaman insisted that the government is committed to farmers’ welfare and highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continuous efforts in this regard.

“I can provide a series of lists of all that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done for the farmers. From increasing their income to assisting with the smallest of expenses, PM Modi has taken every step for the welfare of the farmers. He works for even the small farmers,” Ms Sitharaman said.

Resolution Through Dialogue

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said there is a need for a resolution through dialogue.

Mr Tikait, a prominent figure in the farmers’ movement, highlighted the integral role played by those living in forest areas in protecting the environment. 

“People living in the forests protect the environment. From Bihar to Andhra Pradesh, which is a forest area, Adivasis worship the ‘Jungle’. No army and farmers are standing face to face. We have people in the army also who comes from a farming background. There should be a solution through dialogue. Continuous talks are going on with the Centre,” he said.