With tensions escalating, farmers prepare for the 'Dilli Chalo' rally, led by SKM and KMM unions, followed by a nationwide "Grameen Bandh" on February 16. Central to their discontent is the demand for MSP assurance. Despite talks with Union ministers, a resolution remains elusive. Political backing intensifies, reflecting deep-seated grievances.
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#FarmerProtests2024 #KisanAndolan #GrameenBandh #DilliChalo #SKM #DelhiProtests #Farmers #Punjab #Politics #FarmersNews #Punjab #Oneindia #Oneindia News
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NewsTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 As the clock ticks down, a palpable tension
00:15 is again gripping the borders of Delhi and Siar.
00:19 Farmers, resolute and impassioned,
00:21 are bracing themselves for impending march
00:23 from various points in Punjab and Haryana.
00:26 Organized by the 100 unions under the banner
00:29 of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, Non-Political, and KMM,
00:33 the Delhi Chalo Rally is set to commence very soon.
00:36 Following this, on 16th of February,
00:38 the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha has called
00:40 for a nationwide Gramir Bandh.
00:42 The upcoming 13th February march, orchestrated by SKM
00:46 and KMM, serves as a catalyst for broader dissent.
00:49 The SKM, which is a non-political offshoot
00:52 of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, boasts
00:54 a coalition of over 150 unions rallying
00:56 behind the leadership of Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
01:00 Central to the farmers' discontent
01:02 this time is the alleged failure of government
01:04 to uphold its commitment to legally guarantee
01:07 the minimum support price, a pivotal demand articulated
01:11 during the culmination of 2021 protests on Delhi's borders.
01:15 Despite the government's announcement of MSP
01:17 for 23 agricultural commodities before the Rabi and Kharif
01:20 season, procurement remains confined
01:22 to stable crops like paddy and wheat
01:24 in specific regions of Punjab and Haryana
01:27 and some parts of western Uttar Pradesh,
01:29 according to the reports.
01:31 And so, after enduring a two-year long impasse,
01:35 farmers are again coming back to the borders with their demand,
01:38 just before the Lok Sabha election.
01:41 The resolves remain unyielding in the wake
01:43 of preliminary discussions with the union ministers.
01:47 However, this is simply not the demand
01:49 these farmer unions are raising again.
01:51 Last time, the farmer protests were focused on farm laws.
01:54 Now, this time, it is more than a list.
01:57 The farmers' demands encapsulate a wide array
02:00 of issues related to livelihoods and well-being.
02:03 The demands aimed at Centre reflect
02:05 the deep-seated grievances with the agricultural community.
02:10 First and the topmost is MSP.
02:13 Farmers are seeking an enactment of the law
02:15 guaranteeing the minimum support price for all crops,
02:18 aligning with the recommendation of the Dr. Swaminathan
02:21 Commission.
02:23 Second, the farmers are also demanding a complete debt waiver
02:26 for farmers and labourers burdened
02:28 by the financial constraints during the COVID-19
02:31 and prior to that.
02:33 Third one is the reintroduction of Land Acquisition Act 2013.
02:37 The farmers want the reintroduction
02:38 of this Acquisition Act in nationwide scale,
02:41 ensuring farmers' written consent
02:43 and adequate compensation.
02:45 In addition, farmers are also demanding justice
02:48 for those affected by the Lakhimpur-Kheri massacre
02:50 that took place in 2021, accountability
02:53 for perpetrators.
02:55 The farmers are also demanding pension for farmers.
02:58 A new provision for pensions has been
02:59 proposed by the farm labourers to ensure
03:02 this financial security in old age.
03:04 Also, they are also demanding compensation
03:06 for the families who lost their lives during the Delhi
03:09 agitation, along with job offer for the one family member.
03:13 And in the end, the Manreka enhancement.
03:16 Farmers from Punjab specifically want the enhancement
03:19 of Manreka's scheme to provide 200 days of employment
03:22 within a year and daily wage of 700 rupees,
03:26 linked with farming activities.
03:28 And so in response to these demands,
03:30 the government of India invited Sarvan Singh Pandhar
03:32 and Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta Sindhpur President Jagdeep
03:35 Singh Dallewal for a meeting in Chandigarh,
03:38 including with ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal,
03:41 and Nityanand Rai.
03:43 Yet, the focal point of the contention
03:45 remains the minimum support price.
03:47 With Lok Sabha elections looming,
03:49 both the state and centre governments
03:51 are wary of antagonising the farmers right now.
03:55 However, finding a common ground still seems elusive.
03:58 The BKO leader Jagdeep Singh Dallewal
04:00 asserts that their demands, particularly regarding the MSP,
04:03 are non-negotiable.
04:05 So government has to bend.
04:07 Despite the stance, they express readiness for further dialogue
04:10 with the government right now.
04:12 Whereas in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress
04:14 have already thrown their weight behind the protesting farmers
04:17 already, aligning with their cause.
04:20 The Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Man
04:22 has already accused the Haryana government
04:24 of erecting barriers on roads, metaphorically dividing Punjab
04:27 from the rest of India, obstructing the farmers'
04:31 Delhi Chalo March.
04:33 These developments indeed underscore
04:35 the deep-seated political tension and political dynamics
04:37 that is surrounding the farmers right now,
04:39 just before the agitation, highlighting
04:42 the urgency of a constructive dialogue and resolution.
04:45 Or else, things might again fall out of hand,
04:48 just like it happened in the 2021 farmers' protest.
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