Farmers' Protest 2.0: How Is 'Chalo Delhi' Different From 2020-21? Who's Leading And Their Demands; EXPLAINED
The farmers are demanding a clear assurance from the government that the MSP will be protected and that they will not be forced to sell their produce at lower prices.
New Delhi: Commuters walk past barricades put up at Tikri border in view of farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. (PTI Photo)
Farmers' Protest 2.0: Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh are returning to Delhi after calling off their major protest little over two years ago. This time, the protest is called 'Delhi Chalo' and involves more than 200 farmer unions. The decision to resume the protest comes after the last round of talks between the farmer leaders and the Union ministers remained inconclusive on Monday night. The main point of contention is the lack of clarity on legal guarantees for the minimum support price (MSP). The farmers are demanding a clear assurance from the government that the MSP will be protected and that they will not be forced to sell their produce at lower prices. Apart from that, they are also seeking implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
To express their concerns and demand action, the farmers have decided to march towards Delhi. Meanwhile, the police in Haryana and Delhi have put in place massive security arrangements and sealed borders between Punjab and Haryana, as well as Haryana and Delhi, to deter the farmers from entering the national capital.
How Farmers' Protest 2.0 Is Different From 2020 Stir?
In 2020, farmers protested against three laws at Delhi borders, leading to their repeal in 2021. These laws were -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.
This years 'Delhi Chalo' protests demands a legal guarantee to MSP for all crops, the implementation of Swaminathan Commission's formula, full debt waiver for farmers, pension for farmers and labourers, withdrawal of cases against farmers during the 2020-21 protest.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have launched Delhi Chalo 2.0. Earlier, the Bhartiya Kisan Union and Samyukt Kisan Morcha, led the farmers' 2020 protest.
Rakesh Tikait and Gurnam Singh Charuni were the two main leaders of the farmers' 2020 protest. However, they are nowhere to be seen when the farmers are about to march the streets four years later. Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the leader of SKM (non-political), and Sarwan Singh Pandher, the general secretary of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh, are now leading the charge.
Farmers were allowed to enter the nation's capital in 2020, but this time around the administration has implemented stringent preventative measures. There are barbed wire, cement barricades, and nails on the roads; all access to Delhi is restricted. Delhi has implemented Section 144. The Haryana government closed its borders with Punjab.
Last time, the Government accepted the farmers' demand to withdraw all cases against the protesters registered during the 2020 agitation. However, there was no legal guarantee of MSP. This time, the Centre has already started the negotiation process even before the Delhi Chalo commencement today. The first meeting between the farmer leaders and the Union ministers took place on February 8, while the second happened on February 12.
Who all are leading the 'Chalo Delhi' 2,0 protests
In the earlier protests, almost all the farmer organisations in Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, numbering more than 40, had come under the Sanyukt Kisa Morcha (SKM). This time a breakaway faction of that umbrella body is spearheading the protests.
- Farmers organisation BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) led by Jagjit Singh Dallewal, took along smaller groups and formed a parallel organisation, SKM (non-political)
- It also has farmers groups from Harmaya, Rajasthan, MP joined hands with Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and held rallies in Amritsar and Barnala with the call for 'Dilli Chali 2.0'
- Another farmers block was formed with 18 farmers groups with more farmers groups coming together, this block was renamed as Kisan Mazdoor Morcha
- Punjab-based kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee leader Sarvan Singh Pandher has formed groups from Punjab Haryana, Rajasthan, UP and MP. It has decided to align with SKM (non-political)
- SKM (non-political) includes BKU (Dallewal) led by Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha led by Sarvan Singh Pandher. It claims support of 17 farm organisations. Pandher and Dallewal from Punjab and Abhimanyu Kohar from Haryana have been the most visible faces of SKM (non-political) ahead of the February 13 Delhi Chalo march.
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