Thousands gathered for the latest rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow. (Representative)
New Delhi:
Buoyed by victory after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for repeal of three agricultural laws, Indian farmers today held a mass rally, demanding that the MSP be increased for all produce, not just rice and wheat .
The protest movement, started by farmers more than a year ago, became one of the most serious political challenges for the BJP government, resulting in a surprising commitment by PM Modi on Friday to roll back three agricultural reform laws.
Thousands gathered for the latest rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, where the BJP seeks to capture power in the state elections due early next year.
Since late 2020, thousands of farmers have camped on the outskirts of New Delhi as part of a mass movement to pressure PM Modi to roll back the reforms.
Their ascent caused a wave of celebration among the farmers, but the leaders of the movement immediately warned that the protest will continue Unless the government promised to bring in a law that would guarantee minimum prices for all crops.
At present, the government mainly buys rice and wheat at guaranteed minimum support prices, but only 6 percent of India’s millions of farmers get the benefit of protection.
In A letter addressed to PM Modi On Sunday, the main farmers’ organisation, the United Kisan Morcha (SKM), said: “Minimum support price based on comprehensive cost of production should be made a legal right of all farmers (and) for all agricultural products…”
Farmers also asked the federal government to withdraw a draft electricity bill, which they fear would take back their right to free or subsidized electricity used primarily for irrigation by state governments.
The northern state of Punjab, part of India’s grain sector, provides free electricity to the agriculture sector, while some states offer electricity subsidies to farmers.
The growers have also asked the government to drop fines and other fines for burning their fields after harvesting to remove the stalks and husks. Air pollution smog has become a major source of air pollution in crop-growing Delhi and satellite cities in the northern states.
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