Farmers affiliated with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) are set to escalate their ongoing protests for a legal guarantee of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops. The group, which has been demonstrating at various border locations between Haryana and Punjab since February, will begin a foot march toward Delhi starting December 6. These protests are part of a broader push for various agricultural reforms, including debt relief for farmers and a law ensuring MSP, in line with recommendations from the Swaminathan Commission.
The march will take place in small batches of 50-100 farmers, each group seeking permission to enter Delhi. Senior farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, from the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), has also announced a hunger strike from November 26 to amplify the demand for a legal MSP guarantee. If something unfortunate happens to Dallewal during the fast, other leaders will take his place, signaling their commitment to the cause.
Despite months of discussions, the government has yet to meet the farmers’ key demands, which include the full legal backing for MSP on all crops, total debt relief, and protection of tribal land rights. The farmers are also calling for the repeal of the Electricity Amendment Bill, the re-implementation of the Land Acquisition Act, and better support for farm laborers through increased employment opportunities.
In response to this growing agitation, protests will also take place in various Southern states, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as farmers from these regions join the call for urgent action. As Parliament resumes, these farmers are urging lawmakers to fulfill promises made to the agricultural sector and to bring a bill that guarantees MSP for all crops.
