Farmer leader Dallewal issues statement on Vice President’s remarks, Continues hunger strike

Chandigarh: Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on his 10th day of a hunger strike demanding the fulfillment of key farmer rights, has issued a statement in response to recent remarks made by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. Dallewal’s protest is centered around a set of 12 demands, including the enactment of a Minimum Support Price (MSP) Guarantee Act and the fixing of MSP according to the C2+50% formula recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.

In his statement, Dallewal, along with other farmer leaders, expressed gratitude for the Vice President’s comments acknowledging the importance of farmers’ issues. However, they stressed that concrete action was required from the central government to address long-standing promises made to the farmers.

Protest and Historical Context

The current protest is part of a broader movement that has seen farmers sit at various borders, including Khanauri, Shambhu, and Ratnapura, for nearly 10 months in 2024. This follows a series of protests, including the 2020-21 agitation where farmers staged a sit-in for over a year. The farmers have claimed that promises made to them by successive governments have not been fulfilled, which has led to their continued protest.

In 2011, when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he had sent a report to the then Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, advocating that farmers’ produce should never be purchased below the government-fixed MSP. This report was part of the initial calls for fair MSP implementation. The issue has remained unresolved, despite commitments made during election campaigns, including a pledge from Modi in 2014 to implement the Swaminathan Commission’s C2+50% formula if elected.

Government Promises and Lack of Action

The letter to the Vice President also highlighted various promises made by the central government over the years. These include:

While the UPA government did not implement the recommendations, Modi’s 2014 election campaign vowed to adhere to the C2+50% formula. However, the central government has yet to implement it, despite a 2015 Supreme Court affidavit stating the impossibility of doing so.

After a 35-day protest in Punjab, a letter signed by the Prime Minister’s Office in 2018 promised that the C2+50% formula would be implemented within three months. Six years later, the promise remains unfulfilled.

A letter issued by the Ministry of Agriculture in December 2021 included several written commitments, including making MSP effective, addressing pollution laws related to agriculture, providing compensation to Lakhimpur Kheri victims, and resolving the cases against protesting farmers. These promises have not been honored, leading to continued unrest.

Dallewal and the farmer leaders urged Vice President Dhankhar, as the highest constitutional authority in India, to intervene and direct the central government to implement the commitments made to farmers. They emphasized that, having been let down by previous assurances, the farmers now have no choice but to continue their protests until their demands are met.

“We are left with no faith in the promises of successive governments. We urge you, Honorable Vice President, to use your office to ensure that these promises are fulfilled, and we are ready to meet with you to present our case in greater detail,” said Dallewal.

The ongoing hunger strike and protests at Khanauri border have drawn widespread attention, with farmer leaders reiterating their commitment to the cause, even if it means sacrificing their lives for the welfare of the farming community.