MSP hogs political limelight in election manifestos, impact of farmers’ protest

After the farmers' agitation in 2020-21 against the three agricultural laws, the issue of legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) of crops has emerged as a major demand of the farmer unions. In the last three years, this issue has gained so much prominence that it is difficult for political parties to ignore it. The issue of MSP figures in the manifestos of the ruling BJP and opposition parties released for the Lok Sabha elections. However, there is a difference in the stand of political parties on the issue of legal guarantees.

In its manifesto, Congress has promised to provide legal guarantee of MSP as per the recommendation of Swaminathan Commission as a form of farmers' justice. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also supported this demand of farmers in his Bharat Jodo Yatra. Congress has also been rejecting the claims that giving legal guarantee of MSP will put excessive burden on the government exchequer.

There is no legal guarantee of MSP in the BJP 's manifesto presented as a guarantee by Modi, but a continuous increase in the MSP of crops has been promised. There is no mention of how much the MSP will increase. On the other hand, Aam Aadmi Party has promised the farmers to get full prices for their crops by fixing MSP as per Swaminathan Commission as six guarantees of Kejriwal. However, Aam Aadmi Party's stand regarding the legal guarantee of MSP is not very clear.

Samajwadi Party, the main opposition party in Uttar Pradesh, has promised to give MSP to all farmers as a legal guarantee. According to the manifesto of SP, there will be MSP for all crops including milk and MSP will be determined on the basis of Swaminathan formula. In its manifesto, RJD has promised farmers MSP on 10 crops and implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations. The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu has also pledged to implement the Swaminathan Commission recommendations regarding MSP.

It has become difficult for political parties to ignore the issue of MSP because now this issue has gone from farmer movements to the common farmer. Due to the movement, three agricultural laws were withdrawn but it has created awareness among the farmers across the country about MSP and its effect is clearly visible in the manifestos issued by political parties for the Lok Sabha elections. According to the CSDS pre-poll survey conducted in 19 states, 59 percent people believe that the demands of farmers are legitimate and they have the right to protest.

BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) leader Tejveer Singh, who was involved in the farmers' movement on the Shambhu border of Haryana-Punjab, told Rural Voice that the demand for legal guarantee of MSP is the biggest issue of the farmers. If there had been no farmers' movement, MSP would not have been mentioned in the election manifestos of political parties. Taking the issue of MSP to every corner of the country is a big achievement of the farmer movements. 

Tajinder Singh Virk, leader of the Terai Farmers Organization, who was involved in the farmers' movement, says that it is clear from the BJP's manifesto that it does not want to give legal guarantee of MSP to the farmers. Whereas Congress and SP have clearly promised to provide legal guarantees of MSP. Due to pressure from farmer organizations, MSP has become a nationwide issue.       

For the last two months, the farmer organizations sitting under the leadership of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) at Shambhu and Khannauri border of Haryana-Punjab are loudly raising the demand for legal guarantee of MSP. This farmers' movement has heated up the political atmosphere in Haryana, Punjab and adjoining areas of Rajasthan before the Lok Sabha elections. At many places, BJP and JJP leaders are also facing opposition from farmers.

To end the farmers' agitation on the Delhi border in 2021, the Central Government had made many promises to the farmers including considering the issue of legal guarantee of MSP. Even after almost two and a half years, the committee constituted by the Central Government on the issue of MSP could not submit its report. Meanwhile, farmer organizations remained adamant on their demands and the issue of MSP became a bigger issue.