Delhi Chalo

In a renewed heave of protests, thousands of farmers are converging on New Delhi to voice their disappointment with a set of new farm laws formulated by the BJP government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Police in Haryana and Delhi have enforced restrictions to prevent a repetition of the 2020 protests. According to farmer leaders, over 700 farmers died during the year-long agitation in 2020. Under the ‘Delhi Chalo’ banner, clashes are daily erupting at the Punjab-Haryana border, with reports of farmers removing spikes on Khanauri Road and police deploying tear gas shells at the Shambhu border.

A resolution remains elusive despite calls for bilateral negotiations from the BJP government. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, representing over 200 farmer unions, are pressing the Indian capital for their demands and marching towards Delhi with a determined mindset. However, no resolution seems to emerge anytime soon. Key demands from the farmers include a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops and withdrawal of cases from the previous agitation. Although the government formed a committee in 2022 to enhance MSP transparency, the stalemate still persists without a win-win solution, further making the farmers more anxious and disappointed.

The farmers argue that making MSP a legal guarantee would protect their margins and advocate for aligning the MSP formula with the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission, setting it at 50% over the cost of production. Additional demands involve the withdrawal of cases registered against the protesting farmers in 2020-21, pensions for farmers, loan waivers, and the withdrawal from the World Trade Organization due to pressure over subsidies. The protests are led by over 250 farmer unions and are supported by various states besides Punjab, emphasizing the urgency of their demands.

As the farmers move towards Delhi, the authorities deploy barriers, nails, and machinery to impede their progress. The fourth meeting between Union Ministers and farmer representatives to discuss and reach a conclusion on their demands, including a legal guarantee for the minimum support price on crops, ended without any conclusion. Despite multiple meetings in February, the impasse between the federal government and farmer leaders persists and will grow stronger if any resolution is not reached. Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai met the farmers along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Following the meeting, Piyush Goyal said, “We hope farmers will come with a positive reply by Monday. The next round of the meeting could then be held. I urge farmers to call off their protest.”

The government is trying to disperse the protestors by using every means necessary, including the use of drones. Commenting on the government’s action to curb protests, Indian journalist P. Sainath said, “It is unfortunate that drones are being used against farmers protesting against the Centre’s policies. The government is using drones to deter the farmers from holding protests. The Central government is dividing the people on caste, creed, and communal lines.” “We will discuss the proposals offered by the government with agriculture and legal experts besides farmers and then take a call on it and convey our decision to the Centre,” says Sarwan Singh Pandher of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

The recent farmers’ protests reflect lofty promises that have largely failed to materialize and could not address broader issues, including debt relief, policy reforms, and privatization concerns. With the protests gaining momentum, New Delhi is bracing for a potential siege, highlighting the political significance of farmer discontent in the forthcoming elections. If the blockage continues without the farmers’ demands being met, a civil war may erupt, which may not bode well, especially for the rural part of India.