By In response to the Bharat Bandh call by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), Delhi Police has heightened security and is on high alert in the national capital, as per officials on Friday. The ongoing agitation, which entered its fourth day, has led to the closure of two border points between Delhi and Haryana, with heavy security deployment in anti-riot gear. Traffic disruptions are anticipated in Delhi, with barricades set up in various areas, as the SKM presses the BJP-led central government to address farmers’ demands, including a legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP) for crops. The ‘Delhi Chalo’ march initiated by Punjab farmers on Tuesday was halted at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points, where protesting farmers have since been encamped.
The focal points of the Delhi Chalo 2.0 agitation led by farmer groups revolve around their insistence on a legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP) across all crops, its revision based on the Swaminathan committee’s formula, and the demand for debt waiver for farmers. The agitation is driven by the recognition that while the Centre officially declares MSP for 23 key agricultural commodities, the practical benefits are predominantly reaped by wheat and paddy producers.
This bias exists due to the extensive storage infrastructure at the Centre’s disposal, primarily utilized for the public distribution system. The call for a legal MSP guarantee aims to encourage farmers to move away from water-intensive paddy cultivation by diversifying into other crops, safeguarding them against market uncertainties. However, implementing such a guarantee would necessitate significant investments by the Centre to establish new systems for utilizing the produce of alternative crops. Experts propose that reaching an agreement to replace wheat-paddy with alternative crops could present a viable solution that accommodates the concerns of both parties.
