Seechewal voices farmers’ concerns in Rajya Sabha

During the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal raised several important and direct questions in the House regarding farmers’ concerns.

He questioned the Centre government on not providing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops, its unfulfilled promise of doubling farmers’ income, the need to waive farmers’’ and labourers’ loans just as corporate loans are waived, and the record of farmer suicides along with the reasons behind them.

However, the BJP-led Central Government appeared evasive on all these questions. Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan delivered a long speech highlighting various schemes initiated by the Narendra Modi government for farmers, but he did not answer a single one of the direct questions raised by Sant Seechewal.

He mentioned the implementation of the crop insurance scheme and the transfer of crores of rupees into farmers’ accounts under the PM-Kisan scheme, yet avoided the core issues. Sant Seechewal had clearly asked whether the Central Government maintains a record of farmer suicides.

If yes, he demanded state-wise data of farmer suicides from the last 15 years and details of the reasons behind them. If not—he questioned why no such record is being kept. Instead of giving a straightforward response, the Union Minister delivered a general and crowd-pleasing speech, merely stating that there could be “other reasons” behind farmer suicides, without offering any concrete information.

Similarly, when asked about the absence of MSP on all crops and the gap between the declared MSP and the actual procurement rates in mandis, the minister again avoided giving any clear answer. Speaking to the media, Seechewal said that the country’s “Aandata” (food providers) are constantly forced to protest on the roads, whereas they should be working peacefully in their fields.

He added that had the government provided clear and satisfactory answers to the farmers’ questions in Parliament, it would have boosted the morale of farmers by showing that the government is genuinely concerned about their demands and future. Instead, the response from the Agriculture Minister has only led to disappointment among farmers and exposed the government’s lack of seriousness towards them.