The Union Government may soon take a decision to form a committee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) issue. In order to end its 13-month movement against the three Central farm laws, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) had put the conditions of repealing the three laws and a legal guarantee for MSP. The government had repealed the three laws and promised to form a committee on MSP. The promise had been made in a letter to the SKM written by the Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. Besides, the letter also gave information regarding accepting the other conditions. But no committee has been formed so far on the issue of legal guarantee for MSP.
According to highly placed officials in the Ministry of Agriculture, there is no dilemma regarding the formation of a committee on MSP and it may soon be formed. On being asked about the delay in the formation of the committee, the above source said, “This committee could not be formed in view of the conditions of the Election Commission with respect to the five state Assembly elections. But now that the election procedure is over, there is no hurdle in the way of the formation of the committee.”
What will be the terms of reference for the committee on MSP? The above source did not make things clear regarding this question but, of course, said that one does not see the possibility of adding the provision of legal guarantee in the purview of the working of the committee. They say that the letter written by the Ministry to the SKM did not anywhere mention legal guarantee for MSP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced in his address to the nation on November 19, 2021, that the three controversial central farm laws would be repealed. Subsequently, the procedure to repeal the laws was completed in the Parliament and the three laws were repealed after the Presidential assent. After this, the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture wrote a letter to the SKM and informed as to how far the demands of the farmer organizations had been accepted and what the government’s views were. The letter spoke of compensation to the farmers who died during the movement and of withdrawal of cases registered against the farmers during the movement. It had asked the states to act on both these issues. Some of the issues did act on them but the procedure is still incomplete. Also, the letter had spoken about forming a committee on MSP. However, the committee is yet to be formed. After the letter from the Agriculture Secretary, the farmer organizations ended their ongoing dharnas and movement on the Delhi borders and went back to their homes in the second week of December 2021.
A token protest has been registered against the Central government accusing it of reneging on its promise. Such a protest was also registered on March 21 by submitting a memorandum to the district officials. The SKM has also announced the outline of a protest in case the government does not execute the demands.
Some farmer organizations of Punjab, the state with the greatest participation in the movement, also formed the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha to contest the Assembly elections and were routed. Punjab now has a government of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. So, the politics in the state and the stance of the farmers on these issues of the farmers’ movement will be very significant in the days to come.
In Delhi on March 22, on the other hand, some farmer organizations formed a front on legal guarantee for MSP and announced to launch a movement. The front has several farmer leaders, including Raju Shetty, leader of Maharashtra’s farmer organization Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana and former parliamentarian, and VM Singh, former convener of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and convener of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, in prominent roles.
So, we now have to see if the government forms a committee on MSP soon or the farmers’ organizations launch another movement on this issue. However, if highly placed officials in the Ministry are to be believed, the committee may be formed soon.