New Delhi, December 2024: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured the Rajya Sabha that the government remains committed to purchasing all farm produce at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). The statement comes at a critical time when farmers, under various organizations, have resumed their agitation, demanding legal guarantees for MSP and other reforms.
Farmer groups, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have planned a march to Delhi on December 6. Their demands extend beyond MSP guarantees, encompassing issues such as debt waivers, pensions for farmers and laborers, justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, and reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013. The ongoing protests at border points in Punjab and Haryana reflect growing frustration over the lack of dialogue with the government since February 2024.
Recent negotiations with the Union Government failed to produce a consensus, as farmer leaders rejected a proposal for a five-year MSP assurance for select crops. Meanwhile, the Delhi and Noida administrations have imposed strict measures to manage the potential influx of protesters, including temporary barricades and restrictions.
This renewed agitation signals the enduring discontent within the farming community despite previous assurances from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration that farmers’ welfare remains a top priority.
Source: Web Team, C6N
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