Patiala (Shambhu Barrier, Punjab): Tractor-trollies have queued up for as long as seven-eight kilometres at Shambhu barrier on the Punjab-Haryana border as farmers are in no mood to relent in their march to Delhi.
The crowd has swelled manifold since visuals spread across the media showing security forces using tear gas and other excessive force to halt the farmers’ Delhi Chalo call, which began on February 13.
The scene at the Shambhu barrier is an exact replay of the farmers’ protests in 2020 outside Delhi borders. The only difference is that the farmers are midway through their journey. They say they are even more determined to confront the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the centre.
Jaspal Singh, a farmer from Amritsar, told The Wire that last time, while calling off the farmers’ protest, they made a mistake by believing the Modi government’s verbal assurances on enacting a law on minimum support price (MSP) as well as other demands on compensation, etc.
“We will not repeat this mistake this time. We will not return home until the Centre enacts a law and fulfils other demands, whether it takes us 13 days, 13 months or 13 years,” he said.
Another farmer Baltej Singh from Ferozepur explained why a guarantee on the MSP law is important, not just for them, but for farmers across the country.
He said the wheat-paddy crop cycle has fully destroyed Punjab, despite the fact that Punjab is not even a rice consumer. There are places where the water level has tanked to a bare minimum due to farmers’ economic dependence on the wheat-paddy cycle.
This is happening because of the faulty MSP system in place. The Centre sets MSP for 23 crops, yet there is no provision to ensure that crops other than wheat and paddy are procured at the government-announced MSP. “I have 20 acres of farmland. If I decide to shun the paddy crop and sow maize or pulses, there is no guarantee if I’ll get MSP for my produce,” he said.
In Punjab, farmers still receive an MSP on wheat and paddy, Baltej said. However, in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and other states, farmers don’t even receive MSP on these crops, he added.
“We are not saying that the government needs to purchase all the crops under the MSP regime. However, it can at least bring a law which ensures that the MSP announced on crops will not be purchased below government rates, whether they are procured by the government or private agencies,” he said.
Protesters at the Shambhu barrier at the Punjab-Haryana border. Photo: Vivek Gupta
Tarsem Singh, a farmer from Gurdaspur, told The Wire that it is a now or never situation for them. “We’re here for the long haul. We know that Modi is deliberately stopping us from reaching Delhi, fearing a dent in his popularity ahead of the Lok Sabha election. But this is his doing. When he had assured us of a law on MSP at the time of the last farmers’ protest in 2021, why did his government sit over it for close to three years?” he said.
Another farmer, Avtar Singh, said it is not just a question of law on MSP; crop pricing is also not in tune with the rising cost of production, thereby rendering farming unprofitable and leaving farmers in debt. “Giving Rs 6,000 cash subsidy to farmers is a joke. We want the right value for our crop, not less than the government-announced MSP,” he added.
Situation calm but temporarily
At the Shambhu barrier, farmers have camped on the road with langars (free meals) being served all around the clock to feed the masses.
Protesters at the Shambhu barrier at the Punjab-Haryana border. Photo: Vivek Gupta
Gurpeet Singh, a farmer from Batala, told The Wire that even as farmers were marching peacefully, security forces standing on the Haryana side of the Shambhu barrier used excessive force, injuring several of their fellow farmers. “Was it justified to use brutal force in response to our legitimate demands? The Modi government is certainly at the peak of its arrogance,” he added.
He said that despite police brutality, the protesters managed to break through their initial line of defence. “Right now, the situation is calm as we are waiting for the next line of action from our leaders. Once we get a go-ahead, we will definitely march ahead to Delhi, no matter what it takes,” he said.
One noticeable trend at the protest site is the significant presence of youngsters, who are leading the march. The crowd is swelling by the hour.
The protest is led by a faction group of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which played a decisive role in the 2020 farmers’ protest, along with the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC).
All eyes are on the third round of meetings between farmers and the Center in Chandigarh later this evening, which will decide the next course of action.
Leaders of the Krantikari Sangathan, a constituent of KMSC, told The Wire that they do not have much hope of the government acceding to their key demands. “Ultimately, we will camp in Delhi and return victorious, just like the three farm laws were withdrawn in 2021. Our business was unfinished last time, and we will complete it this time around,” said Jaspal Singh, a farmer from Amritsar, quoted above.
