Poll code in force, fate of farm stir hangs in balance
Neeraj Mohan
New Delhi, March 16
With the model code of conduct in force after the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule, the fate of the ongoing farmers’ agitation at the Haryana-Punjab borders hangs in the balance.
Despite nearly 33 days of relentless protests and four rounds of talks between farmer leaders and government representatives, the impasse remains, leaving around 12,000 farmers stranded at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13.
The anticipation of positive outcomes from the talks dissipated with the advent of the election season, casting doubt on the fruition of the farmers’ demands and turning the month-long exercises like ‘Dilli Chalo’, ‘Rail Roko’, road blockades, making toll plazas free and bringing women and children to protest sites futile.
When the model code of conduct is in force, the government cannot make any announcement regarding the pending demands of the farmers, including MSP on crops and a comprehensive loan waiver covering pending loans of lakhs of small and marginal farmers and agricultural labourers across the country.
Amidst this uncertainty, the farmers find themselves at a crossroads: whether to disband the agitation and return empty-handed or persist in their protests until the formation of the next government, a process that could span over two months.
Sarvan Singh Pandher, president of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leading the protest, said in a video message, “The agitation has managed to force the Centre to take several decisions like reducing fuel and LPG prices and diverting people’s attention by implementing CAA. But farmers are ready for a long haul. We will not return empty-handed. We will take out the ‘asthi kalash yatra’ of Shubhkaran Singh to Haryana and Punjab and seek farmers’ support.”
Another challenge for the farmers is that the harvesting of wheat will start next month.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha leaders have already declared that they are not keen on launching any protest immediately or ahead of the polls but have announced that they would oppose the BJP in the upcoming elections.
The government held four rounds of talks with the protesting farmers. Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda announced on February 21 that the government was ready for another round of talks over the pending issues, including the MSP, but the meeting could not take place. Amid the death of seven farmers and injuries to several others, the only achievement of the agitation so far is that the government has offered to procure five diversified crops on MSP for five years, if the crops are grown as an alternative to wheat and paddy. But farmers rejected the offer.
