Rahul Gandhi announced on Tuesday that the Congress would give a legal guarantee to every farmer that they will receive the minimum support price, aligning with the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. This declaration comes amid the “Delhi Chalo” march being undertaken by approximately 200 farmer unions to compel the government to meet their demands, prominently including a legal assurance for MSP.
Gandhi emphasised that this measure would profoundly impact the lives of 15 crore farmer families, ensuring their economic well-being. “Today marks a historic moment for our farmer brothers! Congress has decided to give legal guarantee of MSP to every farmer on crops as per the Swaminathan Commission. This step will change the lives of 15 crore farmer families by ensuring their prosperity. This is the first guarantee of Congress on the path of justice,” Rahul Gandhi said in an X post.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated the commitment to MSP during an event as part of the “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra” in Chhattisgarh”s Ambikapur district.
However, the farmers today faced resistance from authorities as they attempted to enter Haryana through the Khanauri border in Jind district, with police employing tear gas and water cannons to deter their progress. Similar confrontations occurred earlier at the Shambhu border in Haryana”s Ambala.
Attacking the BJP government, Rahul Gandhi said, “Today, the farmers are marching towards Delhi. They are being stopped, tear gas shells are being used on them…What are they saying? They are just asking for the fruits of their labour. BJP Government announced Bharat Ratna for MS Swaminathan…But they are not ready to implement something which MS Swaminathan said.”
Congress general secretary and MP Randeep Singh Surjewala asked the government to explain why the farmers were not being allowed to lodge their protest when they had a record of always maintaining peace.
Referring to the heavy barricading of Delhi, Surjewala asked whether the Centre considered the farmers” march as an attack from some enemy country that the roads were being blocked with boulders, heavy vehicles and at several places with deep and wide ditches.
Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court urged for an amicable resolution to the protest, emphasising the importance of minimizing the use of force and protecting citizens” rights.
Farmers are advocating for the implementation of Swaminathan”s report, which recommends increasing MSP to at least 50% above the weighted average cost of production. Other demands include fairer prices for sugarcane, a pension scheme for elderly farmers, accountability for the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, and land allocation in Delhi for a memorial honoring fallen protesters from previous demonstrations.
