Farmers Protest

Farmers are planning another demonstration in Delhi on February 13th to press their demands. The administration in Delhi-Haryana is on high alert because of the farmers' Delhi Chalo campaign. In addition, the police have applied Section 144 to the borders near Delhi since Sunday, resulting in the entire sealing of Delhi's borders. As a result, the Farmers Union will be unable to enter Delhi. The march of farmer organisations is intensifying towards the national capital, Delhi. Actually, the farmers have called for a 'Delhi Chalo March' on February 13, 2024, Tuesday.

On Sunday, the Delhi Police implemented Section 144 in the national capital to maintain order and prevent farmers' protests. According to reports, Section 144 might stay in place in Delhi until March 11, 2024, or for one month. Even before the farmers launch their 'Delhi Chalo' campaign, the administration in Delhi and Haryana is on high alert. The police have blocked the border with Delhi. Furthermore, internet service has been discontinued in certain regions of Haryana.

These things will not be permitted to enter Delhi.

According to media reports, gatherings near Delhi's borders will be considered illegal. Also, with the adoption of Section 144, vehicles such as tractors, trolleys, buses, commercial vehicles, horses, and so on were prohibited from entering Delhi's limits. Aside from that, anybody entering Delhi from outside the city limits is not permitted to bring sticks, rods, weapons, or swords. If anyone is detected breaching the directives, they would be arrested under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code 1860.

Also to read: How much will farmers gain and lose from the government's new agriculture laws?

The entry of commercial vehicles will be limited.

According to the Traffic Police, the movement of commercial vehicles from Delhi's nearby borders, such as the Singhu border, has been prohibited. It is also said that on Tuesday, February 13th, the borders of Delhi will be fully limited. In such a case, the general public may encounter difficulties commuting. Let us inform you that, in response to farmer demonstrations, police patrols and barricading have intensified on the borders of Apsara Bhopra, Ghazipur, and Ghaziabad, preventing the farmers union from entering Delhi.

Internet service may also be halted in certain districts.

Following the announcement of farmers' organisations' march to Delhi, Section 144 was deployed in about 15 districts of Haryana on Sunday. Internet services were also halted in numerous Haryana districts, including Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Ambala, Kurukshetra, and Kaithal, beginning at 6 a.m. yesterday, Sunday. Internet services in these regions may stay unavailable until February 13.

'Delhi Chalo March' on February 13th.

Farmer organisations in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana have called for protests on February 13, 2024, against the Minimum Support Price (MSP) law. The United Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have announced the 'Delhi Chalo' march on February 13. It is believed that around 200 farmer unions will participate in this march.

What are the farmers' requests for the Farmers Movement?

Farmers' demands for this farmers' movement include the government providing a legal guarantee of MSP, implementing the Kisan Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pensions for farmers and agricultural labourers, farm loan waivers, and justice for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

The Government of India recently honored the great agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan posthumously with the Bharat Ratna for his contribution to the cause of farmers. Today, farmers demanding MSP law for crops are demanding payment of the MSP amount under MS Swaminathan's C2+50% formula.

Farmers from across the country are marching to Delhi in support of 12 demands, including making a law to guarantee purchase at the minimum support price. The borders have been sealed at many places for farmers. This is not the first time that farmers have taken to the streets. Farmers have always been raising their demands through agitation. Farmers are demanding the implementation of the recommendations made by the MS Swaminathan Commission on MSP. Let us know about the Swaminathan Commission and its recommendations.

The National Commission on Farmers was a commission formed in November 2004.

A commission was formed under the chairmanship of famous agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan in November 2004 to study the problems of farmers. It was called 'The National Commission on Farmers’. From December 2004 to October 2006, this committee submitted six reports to the government. Many recommendations were made in these.

Also Read: Withdrawal of agricultural laws, five demands also accepted, farmers movement postponed

Swaminathan Commission in its recommendation had recommended giving 50 percent more of the crop cost to the farmers to increase their income. This is called the C2+50% formula. The agitating farmers are demanding the implementation of the MSP Guarantee Act based on this formula.

What is Swaminathan's C2+50% formula?

It is known that to calculate this formula, the Swaminathan Commission divided the cost of the crop into three parts i.e. A2, A2+FL, and C2. A2 costs include all cash expenses incurred in producing the crop. In this, all the costs ranging from fertilizer, seeds, water, and chemicals to labor, etc. are included. 

In the A2+FL category, along with the total crop cost, the estimated cost of labor of the farmer family is also included. Whereas in C2, apart from cash and non-cash costs, lease rent of land and interest on related things are also included. Swaminathan Commission had recommended giving MSP by adding one and a half times the cost of C2 i.e. 50 percent of the cost of C2. Now farmers are demanding to give them MSP under this formula. However, at present there does not seem to be any solution to this issue between the government and the farmers.