Farmers Movement Archive

Farmer stir: Now, RSS affiliate wants legal guarantee for MSP

NEW DELHI: Farmers protesting against the newly-enacted agri laws on Sunday received support from RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) over their demand for a legal guarantee to ensure foodgrain purchase at minimum support price (MSP). This is the second RSS-linked body after BKS to have lent support to protesting farmers on the MSP issue. Unlike the agitating farm unions, though, these two bodies don’t want the laws repealed. The SJM passed a resolution at its annual convention on virtual platforms suggesting certain amendments, including a provision to make purchases below MSP illegal. The Centre has, however, said it is ready to give a written assurance on the “continuation” of MSP. Read Also10,000 more to join, Delhi on edge over mega farmers protestThe Singhu border in Delhi is bracing for the biggest logjam of the farm agitation so far on Monday, with 10,000 more protesters expected to join those already at the protest site amid signals from Rajasthan that hordes of farmers there are straining at the leash to proceed to the capital. There isThe SJM co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan told TOI that a legal guarantee on MSP could be given either through amending the existing farm law on agri markets or through a new legislation. Follow TOI's live for latest updates on farmers protest“We believe that legal guarantee to MSP will be not only important for farmers’ well-being but also crucial for the country’s food security. It will not increase inflation as certain economists have argued,” Mahajan said, adding, “We have examples of pulses whose procurement at higher MSP encouraged farmers to produce more, reducing the price for consumers and also reducing the country’s import bill. So, legally guaranteed MSP will be a win-win situation.” Experts, however, argue that the idea behind the reforms is to encourage private investment and trade, and official agencies cannot in any case procure all crops. The SJM also suggested establishment of ‘farmer courts’ on the lines of ‘consumer courts’ instead of empowering SDMs to resolve disputes arising from contract farming. Though the government in its draft proposal shared with farm unions has agreed to allow dispute resolution through an appeal mechanism in civil court, both SJM and BKS suggested a separate court to deal with farming issues. The SJM’s resolution said the government’s intention in bringing new agricultural laws was good but some amendments were needed to overcome the drawbacks, allaying “fears and doubts” among farmers. The laws look to provide option to farmers to sell their produce outside APMC regulated ‘mandis’, encourage contract farming and set higher bar for imposing stock limits on essential farm commodities. Referring to the law on Agri market on sales outside ‘mandis’, SJM said it would be appropriate that the “MSP is guaranteed to the farmer and purchases below the MSP are declared illegal”, prohibiting private parties and government agencies to buy at less than MSP. Both SJM and BKS also demanded compulsory registration of all procurer companies and traders – a suggestion which the Centre has already agreed to. The SJM's other demands include payment to farmers in a staggered manner (3-4 instalments) under 'contract farming' so that farmers have enough money in hand to do their farming operations right from the stage of sowing. Referring to the law on contract farming which defines a farmer as a person "who engages in the production of farmers' produce by himself or by a hired labour", the SJM said the definition of farmer is such that companies will now also be included. “It will not be appropriate. The SJM firmly believes that a definition of farmer should include only the farmer who engages himself/herself in farming, not companies,” said the resolution.

The Times of India

2020-12-14

India