Dilli Chalo March Highlights: 10 key points about farmers' protests in national capital

Amid the ongoing farmers' protests, Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda stresses the importance of cautious deliberation before implementing a law on Minimum Support Price (MSP), urging structured discussions with farmers. Munda also cautioned against the political exploitation of the movement.

Despite talks with farmer groups, including non-political entities like Samyukta Kisan Morcha, no resolution has been reached. In response, farmers launch a 'Dilli Chalo' march. Chaos erupted at the Shambhu border as police tried to block protesters, leading to clashes and detainments on February 13. Tear gas and water cannons have been deployed to disperse the crowd.

The Delhi Chalo march commenced at 10 am on February 13 with the Haryana government erecting barriers around the state to avoid a recurrence of the 2020-21 protest.

Here's an overview of the developments of the demonstration:

• In contrast to the 2020 protests, which focused on opposing three agricultural laws, the current agitation, under the banner of Dilli Chalo, calls for several demands. These include securing legal assurances for Minimum Support Price (MSP) across all crops, implementing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, providing full debt relief for farmers, establishing pensions for farmers and laborers, and withdrawing cases against demonstrators involved in the 2020-21 protests, according to a BBC report.


• The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the Farmers' Protest 2.0. Notably, there have been signs of factionalism within the Bhartiya Kisan Union and Samyukt Kisan Morcha, key players in the previous protests, states the report.


• Absent from the current protest are prominent leaders Rakesh Tikait and Gurnam Singh Charuni, who played significant roles in the 2020 demonstrations. Instead, the protest is being led by Jagjit Singh Dallewal of SKM (non-political) and Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary of Sarwan Singh Pandher.


• The agricultural community is advocating for penalties against those involved in the sale of counterfeit seeds, pesticides, and fertilisers. They are calling for a doubling of the number of work days in the rural employment guarantee scheme, raising it to 200 days.


• Additionally, the protesters are advocating for India to withdraw from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and nullify all existing free trade agreements, it has been learnt from the BBC report.


• The farmers are requesting guaranteed floor prices, also referred to as minimum support price or MSP, enabling them to sell the majority of their produce at government-controlled wholesale markets or mandis. They are also pressing the government to fulfill its commitment to doubling farmers' income.


• Government agencies purchase the two essential commodities at minimum support prices set by the government to accumulate reserves for operating the world's largest food welfare program, providing free rice and wheat to 800 million Indians. According to a Reuters report, this annually amounts to a government expenditure of $24.7 billion, marking its most significant subsidy expense.


• The farmer protests in India align with similar movements in Europe, yet the issues raised by farmers from the two regions differ. While European farmers are protesting against the European Union's initiatives to combat climate change and other concerns, Indian farmers are predominantly concerned with the guaranteed prices set by the state for their crops, despite common worries about the increasing costs of cultivation.


• Amidst the farmers' 'Dilli Chalo' march, Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), criticized the Modi government, labeling the ongoing protests as its failure. Owaisi emphasized the importance of Prime Minister Modi addressing the farmers' demands, suggesting that doing so would be advantageous for him in the upcoming elections. He expressed dismay at the government's handling of the situation, urging immediate action on the farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the implementation of the Swaminathan Committee formula. Owaisi highlighted the urgency of the matter and urged the Prime Minister to address the grievances of the farmers.


• Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot criticised the authorities' response to farmers demanding legislation on Minimum Support Price (MSP), branding it as highly insensitive.The confrontation between police and protesters, which lasted for several hours at the Shambhu border near Ambala in Haryana, involved tear gas shells, some of which were reportedly deployed via drones. Additionally, Haryana Police employed tear gas canisters and water cannons against 'Dilli Chalo' demonstrators at the Jind district border.


• Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij questions the lack of action on Minimum Support Price (MSP) by previous governments, highlighting the 2004 report during Congress' tenure. He expresses surprise at the Punjab government's stance on drones and criticizes farmer leaders' refusal to engage in dialogue during their visit to Chandigarh. Vij suggests that the Punjab government's failure to stop farmers from moving towards Delhi implies tacit support for creating unrest. He reports instances of stone pelting and injuries to police officers amid the ongoing protests.


• Union leader Sarwan Singh Pandher stated that agitating farmers are open to dialogue if the government ensures a conducive environment. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to enact legislation guaranteeing the minimum support price (MSP), emphasizing the farmers' demand for legal assurance regarding MSP. Pandher appealed to Modi, suggesting that implementing such a law would demonstrate the Prime Minister's compassionate leadership.


• Union Minister for Agriculture Arjun Munda has expressed the readiness of the Centre to engage in further discussions with protesting farmers, provided a conducive environment is ensured. The protests, primarily from Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Uttar Pradesh, have entered their second day on February 14, with demands including legislation guaranteeing a minimum support price for agricultural produce. Munda emphasized that while the BJP-led Centre is open to dialogue with farmer unions, decisions regarding the demanded laws cannot be rushed.


• BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi stated that the government cannot enact new legislation at the moment as the Lok Sabha session has concluded. He emphasized the government's sensitivity towards farmers' issues and noted that many of their demands have already been addressed. Trivedi deemed the demand for a new law at this juncture as technically unfeasible, given the adjournment of the Lok Sabha session, and highlighted the limitations on legislative action at this time.


• Metro services remain uninterrupted. All entry/exit gates are now open, as per the latest update from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.


• Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, while speaking about farmers' 'Dilli Chalo' protest, said it is a democratic right of the farmers to protest and come and be heard in the national capital. "I don't think the border with China is fortified the way this city is fortified. The government should have learnt a lesson from the previous farmers' agitation- consult the stakeholders. Last time it took a year-long agitation before the government surrendered and withdrew...," he said.