Punjab farmers’ protest explained: Dec 30 bandh call, Dallewal’s hunger strike and Centre’s response

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has refused to end his fast-unto-death despite the Centre refusing to budge on the demands. (PTI)

While the historic farmers’ protest of 2020-21, which resulted in the repeal of the controversial farm laws by the NDA government, remain a significant chapter in India’s agricultural history, the farmers of Punjab allege that the underlying issues were not fully resolved. This has resulted in a renewed wave of protests, which have entered the fourth week now.

Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

For the past three weeks, Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops.

A "jatha" (group) of 101 farmers made three attempts to enter Delhi on foot on December 6, December 8 and again on December 14. However, Haryana security personnel did not allow them to proceed.

Several efforts by the farmers parked in Khanauri to cross into Haryana, on their way to Delhi, have been forcefully put down. The government hasn’t budged from its stand that it is not possible to give a legal guarantee for MSP either.

Rail Roko protest, call for Punjab Bandh

On December 18, train services in Punjab took a hit as farmers squatted on rail tracks at more than 50 places as part of their three-hour 'Rail Roko' protest to press the Centre into accepting their various demands.

Protesting farmers blocked train routes at many places, including Moga, Faridkot, Kadian and Batala in Gurdaspur; Phillaur in Jalandhar; Tanda, Dasuya, Mahilpur in Hoshiarpur; Makhu, Talwandi Bhai in Ferozepur; Sahnewal in Ludhiana; Shambhu in Patiala; Mohali; Sunam and Lehra in Sangrur, Rampura Phul in Bathinda and Devidaspura in Amritsar.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Wednesday said farmers have given a call for 'Punjab bandh' on December 30. Pandher said the decision to give the 'bandh' call was taken by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. "There will be a complete 'bandh' on December 30," he said.

He said that emergency services will remain operational during the 'bandh', and appealed to people, including traders, businessmen, transporters to make the 'bandh' successful.

Dallewal’s hunger strike

Meanwhile, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's fast-unto-death entered the 25th day today. While the government refuses to budge on the demands of farmers, Dallewal says he won’t be giving up his fast.

Speaking to The Indian Express on Wednesday, the 70-year-old said that he feels even more motivated. “Is vaar aar-paar di ladhai hai (This time it is a do-or-die battle),” he told PTI.

Dallewal, who is part of the over three-decade-old Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU)-Sidhupur, participated in the year-long farmer protest at Delhi border in 2020-21. He later parted ways with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which spearheaded the protest, over the latter’s decision to contest elections, and is now the coordinator of the SKM (Non-Political).

What are the farmers’ demands?

Building upon the unfinished agenda of the previous protests, the key demands of the farmers in the current wave include:

Legal Guarantee of MSP for All Crops: This remains the paramount demand. Farmers want a legal framework that ensures MSP is enforced for all notified crops.

Withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022 and Rejection of Smart Meters: Farmers are demanding that the government scrap the proposed electricity reforms and halt the installation of smart meters for agricultural connections.

Comprehensive Debt Waiver: The demand for debt relief continues to be a significant issue, with farmers seeking a complete waiver of outstanding loans.

Withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence: A key demand of the farmers has been the unconditional withdrawal of all these cases. They argue that these cases were often politically motivated and aimed at suppressing their legitimate protests. While some state governments have made moves to withdraw certain cases, the process has been slow and incomplete. Apart from this, farmers have demanded a thorough and unbiased investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and a fair trial for all those accused.

Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21 are also part of their demands.

How has Centre responded?

The government's response to the renewed protests has been more muted compared to the 2020-21 period. While some dialogue has taken place, there haven't been any major policy announcements or concessions. The government has emphasized its commitment to agricultural reforms and has highlighted existing schemes aimed at supporting farmers.

(With inputs from PTI)