Why MSP Is a Major Concern In Haryana Assembly Elections?

Haryana is ramping up security measures ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for October 5. The state’s Director General of Police, Shatrujeet Kapoor, has announced extensive security arrangements to ensure a fair and transparent electoral process. Voters will elect 90 representatives for the legislative assembly, with vote counting set for October 8.

A major electoral topic this year is the demand for a mandatory Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, especially from farmers who are raising the issue in rural areas. Many farmers have been demonstrating since February, demanding a formal guarantee of MSP for their crops. Although the central government is the main target of their grievances, the ruling BJP in Haryana is also facing scrutiny. In response to the protests, the Delhi government has fortified the capital with barricades and barbed wire, as thousands of farmers make their way there.

The farmers’ movement first gained traction in 2020 in opposition to three controversial agricultural laws aimed at deregulating the pricing, storage, and sale of agricultural produce. Many farmers viewed these laws as threats to their livelihoods, exposing them to potential corporate exploitation. After considerable unrest and fatalities during the protests, the laws were finally repealed by the government in November 2021. Following this victory, the farmers paused their strike but continued to demand further commitments, including the establishment of a commission to guarantee MSP.

Farmers represent a significant voting bloc in India, making these demonstrations particularly important. Many believe the government is cautious about alienating this group ahead of the general elections, especially since previous protests caused substantial disruption in Delhi. Four years after Indian farmers concluded their significant protest, they took to the streets are still advocating for guaranteed prices for their crops.

Thousands of farmers marched toward Delhi during covid-19, where authorities had fortified the city with barricades made of razor wire and concrete blocks to contain the demonstrations. The farmers had initially begun their year-long protest in 2020 against the government’s introduction of contentious agricultural reforms.

Many camped at the capital’s borders, facing harsh conditions that led to numerous fatalities from heat, cold, and COVID-19. This movement emerged as one of the most significant challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration. The farmer groups ended their strike in 2021 after the government repealed the proposed farm laws and agreed to address other concerns, including guaranteed crop prices and the withdrawal of criminal charges against protesters.

Upon returning, the farmers aimed to remind the government of the promises made during that period. The 2020 protest was primarily against three proposed laws that would have relaxed regulations on the sale, pricing, and storage of agricultural products—protections that had shielded farmers from free-market pressures for decades.

Farm unions argued that these laws would expose farmers to large corporations and jeopardize their livelihoods. After months of insisting that the reforms would be beneficial, Prime Minister Modi announced on November 19, 2021, that his government would repeal the laws. Shortly thereafter, parliament passed the bill to annul the reforms.

This decision was celebrated as a victory for the farmers and demonstrated the power of mass protests in challenging government authority. However, the farmers remained at protest sites until they received a formal letter from the government acknowledging several of their other demands. The government also agreed to compensate the families of those who died during the protests.

The farmers’ current demands included claims that the government had not fulfilled the promises made during the 2020-21 protests. Their requests encompassed pensions, debt waivers, penalties for sellers of counterfeit seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers, as well as an increase in workdays under the rural employment guarantee scheme to 200.

Additionally, the protesters called for India to withdraw from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and to cancel all free trade agreements.

As the Haryana elections approach, the Congress Party has unveiled its platform, promising free medical care, free energy, financial support for women, a guaranteed minimum income for farmers, and a caste census. The manifesto was presented by prominent Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Recently, the Supreme Court established a high-powered committee to address farmers’ concerns, urging them to avoid politicizing their demands. The court acknowledged a “trust deficit” between farmers and the government, yet significant progress in discussions has not been made.

Farmers have expressed frustration over a perceived lack of genuine political engagement, despite submitting a memorandum of demands and meeting with opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi. Many believe the ruling BJP has not adequately addressed their pressing issues, as reflected in the party’s declining popularity in recent elections.

In preparation for the elections, farmers have set up camps at the Khanauri border and are conducting demonstrations and awareness campaigns throughout Haryana. Leaders from various farmer unions stress the importance of meaningful engagement with the government.

Conversely, Haryana government spokesperson Jawahar Yadav has asserted that the administration is committed to farmer welfare, citing increases in agricultural purchases. He claimed that the upcoming BJP manifesto would prioritize the development of farmers and laborers, contrasting their efforts with those of other parties.

Despite these assurances, skepticism remains among farmers, who argue that mere mentions of their issues in political manifestos have historically led to little meaningful action. As the election draws near, the widening gap between farmers and the government raises concerns about the future of agricultural policies in Haryana.

2020–2021 Indian Farmers’ Protest

The 2020–2021 Indian farmers’ protest was a response to three controversial farm laws passed by the Indian Parliament in September 2020, which many unions and opposition politicians labeled “anti-farmer.” Farmers demanded a Minimum Support Price (MSP) bill to protect against corporate control over prices, while the government argued that the laws would facilitate direct sales to larger buyers.

The protests highlighted issues such as farmer suicides and low incomes, despite India’s self-sufficiency in food production and existing welfare schemes. Amid unmet demands, protests re-emerged in February 2024.

While some unions supported the laws, the Supreme Court received petitions to remove protest blockades in December 2020. Farmers declared they would not comply with court orders and viewed government lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic as attempts to suppress their movement. They camped at Delhi’s borders, effectively blocking interstate travel until the laws were repealed after a year.

In January 2021, the Supreme Court suspended the laws, which were eventually repealed on November 19, 2021. Following the repeal, farmer unions continued to demand guaranteed MSP, referencing the government’s commitment to double farmers’ incomes by 2022 and reports from the National Commission on Farmers.

 

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