Having failed to evoke any positive response from the Union government over the pending demands, fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has written to the presidents of all political parties, urging them to clarify their stance on the demand for a Minimum Support Price (MSP) Guarantee Law.
Dallewal, who is on fast unto death since November 26, has highlighted the urgent need for collective action to fulfill longstanding promises made to the farming community, citing multiple incidents of violence and loss during protests.
“Since February 13, 2024, farmers have been protesting to ensure that the promises made by various governments over the years are fulfilled,” reads the letter referring to police actions that allegedly resulted in the death of farmer Shubhkaran Singh, the loss of eyesight for five others, and injuries to 434 protesters.
Dallewal also mentioned a 2011 report by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was chief minister demanding the then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that no farmer’s produce should be sold below the government-mandated MSP.
The letter emphasizes that the demand for an MSP Guarantee Law is not new, noting its endorsement by the parliamentary standing committee on agriculture. The committee, which includes 31 MPs from various political parties, stated in its report that the law would benefit farmers, rural economies, and the nation as a whole.
“Farmers are not demanding charity; they are asking for justice and dignity,” Dallewal stated, adding that the law would also boost farmers’ purchasing power, ultimately strengthening the national economy. Dallewal reminded political leaders of past assurances, including those made during the historic 378-day farmers’ protest of 2020-2021. Despite written commitments from the Ministry of Agriculture on issues like ensuring MSP, amending pollution laws affecting farmers, and compensating victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, most promises remain unfulfilled.
The letter also took aim at the political class, accusing parties of using farmers’ issues as a tool in opposition but abandoning them once in power. “For 77 years, political parties have failed to honor their commitments to farmers,” Dallewal wrote, warning that his possible death from the hunger strike would be an indelible stain on the nation’s political leadership.
n an emotional appeal, Dallewal urged all political parties to set aside their differences and unite to pass the MSP Guarantee Law, framing it as a moral imperative to prevent further farmer suicides. He concluded by questioning the priorities of a nation aspiring to become a $5 trillion economy while its farmers are driven to desperation.
