Farmers’ body terms MSP hike as ‘historic betrayal’, to hold nationwide stir

AIKSCC an umbrella organisation of around 200 farmer’s organisations from across India, has termed the MSP for Kharif crops recently declared by the government, as a “historic betrayal” with the farmers

The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), an umbrella organisation of around 200 farmer’s organisations from across the country, has termed the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Kharif crops recently declared by Narendra Modi government, as a “historic betrayal” with the farmers.

In order to protest against the “betrayal” AIKSCC Working Group and National Council recently met in New Delhi and decided to hold a token black flag demonstration on July 20, 2018 from Mandi House to Parliament Street. While on July 20th, MP Raju Shetty shall present the two bills on Freedom from Debt and Guaranteed MSP in the Lok Sabha, the protest will emphasis the “Dhokha” (betrayal) given by the government to the farmers and to remind the 21 parties about the support they had given to the bills.

AIKSCC has forcefully condemned the announcement of MSP as a betrayal and far short of the promise made by the Modi government to implement Swaminathan Commission formula of 1.5 times the C2 costs. Modi govt’s MSP is based on the same formula of A2 + Fl that was given by the Manmohan Singh government. A2 includes only paid out costs. Fl or family labour calculates labour for ploughing, sowing, weeding, harvesting at a rate much lower than minimum wages. It excludes labour for irrigation, sprays, management and guarding.

To meet the “historic false propaganda of the Prime Minister”, AIKSCC will hold 400 meetings in the country in the next four months and expose this “fraud” on the people of the country.

“The government has restricted announcement to only 14 crops while the demand was for all crops including fruits and vegetables, milk and other farm related produce. Govt has failed to ensure procurement of the crops. Currently only 6 percent of farmers benefit from government procurement. Only one third of Wheat and paddy is procured while generally about 1 to 2 percent of coarse grains, pulses and oilseeds are procured. With Public Distribution System (PDS) being converted to Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), this too will stop,” AIKSCC has said. The farmers’ organisation demanding a guaranteed MSP for all crops with penal action for failure to do so.

AIKSCC demanded to solve crises of oversupply of milk, the govenment should procure milk and give each child 150 ml milk in Mid-Day Meals, to help the farmers and the children.

AIKSCC aso demanded reduction in input costs, especially of inputs like diesel, fertilisers and electricity which are being increased rapidly by the government itself. It also demanded check on prices of MNC seeds, insecticides and other inputs. To keep food prices in check and help share croppers, tenant and other farmers the govt. should give input subsidy to all farmers in place of loans, as is being done in Telangana.

AIKSCC declared that it will observe August 9, as Kisan Mukti Diwas (Farmers Liberation Day) to ‘oppose pro MNC, anti-farmer policies’, end to “Companiyon ko Chhoot, Kisano ki Loot” (Concession to companies, plunder to farmers) and to demand ‘Ghata Mukt Kheti, Karza Mukt Kisan, Zehar Mukt Bhojan, Aatmhatya Mukt Bharat’ (Loss free farming, debt free farmer, poison free food, suicide free India). The farmers’ bdoy will hold Mandi protests during Oct 8 to 10 and organise a two days “Kisan Mukti Kooch” (Farmer Liberation March) on November 30 and December 1 in the National Capital Delhi.