Tractor to Twitter, a digital news portal known for its vocal support of farmer’s rights, found its primary X account abruptly suspended. Other X accounts which disseminate information about the farmers’ protest like Gaon Savera and that of journalist Mandeep Punia also stand suspended.
This move coincided with reports of over a hundred farmers sustaining injuries at the Shambhu border, some by the indiscriminate use of pellet guns. Witness accounts and videos circulating on social media paint a grim picture of tear gas canisters being fired, indicating authorities’ efforts to quell dissent.
The scenes at Delhi’s borders remain tense, with a heavy police presence and barriers erected at Singhu and Ghazipur.
Contrary to official assertions that only farmers from Punjab are involved, voices from across the nation are rising in solidarity. Farmer leader from Bihar revealed about attempts to join the protests, only to be met with detentions at by local police. In Karnataka, farmers attempting to travel to Delhi were detained in Bhopal and redirected to alternate locations in Uttar Pradesh. Similar incidents have been documented in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, where farmers en route to the national capital have faced detainment and rerouting by local police.
Sarvan Singh, general secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, in a press conference, said that Haryana police is using intimidation tactics, including threats of visa revocation for family members.
What are the demands?
At the heart of the farmers’ agitation lies a seemingly simple demand: the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report’s recommendation to calculate the minimum support price (MSP) for crops like paddy (rice) based on the C2+50 formula, which includes comprehensive costs of production along with a 50% profit margin. This formula is seen as a means to ensure that farmers receive fair and remunerative prices for their produce, covering not just the cost of cultivation but also factoring in expenses related to land rent, hired labor, machinery, and other inputs.
Along with the demand for MSP, the farmers demand the withdrawal of cases filed against farmers, to punish the guilty in the Lakhimpur Kheri case, where farmers were targeted and killed during a protest. Additionally, the farmers demand exemption from the purview of pollution laws. They advocate for the provision of pensions for both farmers and agricultural labourers.
The Swaminathan Commission’s findings underscore the stark economic realities faced by Indian farmers. In 2004, it found that an average Indian farming household earns a meagre income of only Rs 6,427 per month, out of which a substantial portion – Rs 6,223 –is spent on meeting essential expenses.
In 2022 alone, data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealed a distressing statistic: on average, every hour, one farmer in India took their own life. This figure represented a 5.7% increase compared to 2020.
As the standoff continues, with social media accounts silenced and farmers facing police action, the story is evolving, and we will continue to provide updates as events unfold. Watch this video to know more.