Farmers Protest: What are the demands? All you need to know

Two years after forcing the repeal of three agricultural bills through a year of protests at Delhi’s borders in 2021, farm unions from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are marching towards Delhi.

Hyderabad: Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh are making their way towards Delhi, following failed negotiations with Union ministers on Monday.

Delhi Chalo protest is spearheaded by different unions because the landscape of farmers’ unions has changed over the years. While the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are leading the farmers’ protest 2.0, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, leader of SKM (non-political), and Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary of the KMM are at the forefront.

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The demands put forth by the farmers’ unions are:

Legal guarantee for MSP: Enactment of a law to guarantee Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops as recommended by National Commission on Farmers led by MS Swaminathan in 2005.

Loan Waiver: Farmers are demanding a waiver on farm loans across the nation.

Withdrawl of Police Cases: Farmers union seek withdrawl of cases against them during 2020-21 protests against the three agriculture laws. Later, the three laws were repealed by the government.

Justice for Lakhimpur Kheri victims : Farmers demand the stringent action against the accused in violence which took place in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3, 2021 when four farmers mowed down by a vehicle. Ashish Mishra, son of MoS Ajay Mishra is the primary accused in the case.

Pension, Memorial for farmers: A monthly pension of Rs 10,000 for every farmer and also grant of land in Delhi for building a memorial for farmers who died during 2020-21 protests.