Farmers hold tractor marches in parts of Punjab to press for MSP guarantee

On Republic Day, farmers in Punjab held tractor marches across the state to press the Union Government for a guaranteed MSP for crops and withdrawal of National Policy Framework on Agriculture Marketing (NPFAM).

The marches, which took place in various districts, including Malerkotla and Ludhiana, were organised by farmer unions, including the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).

Lok Hit Mission-Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) participated participated in a 5-km march with around 100 tractors on the Baroudi-Kurali-New Chandigarh-Majri block route, while protesters in Mohali held a tractor march from Dardi village to District Administrative Complex in Sector 76.

The farmers are demanding a legal guarantee on MSP based on the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee, debt waivers, and the scrapping of NPFAM.

The tractor marches were held peacefully, with farmers parking their tractors outside retail outlets and malls to protest against corporate houses in Amritsar.

Farmer unions have announced that they will intensify their stir, with another round of talks with the Centre scheduled for February 12.

Sher Singh Maholi, an office bearer of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), stated that the tractor marches were organised at the tehsil level, following specified routes to reach designated points.

Office bearers and activists of KKM, led by convener Sarwan Singh Pandher, had announced that thousands of tractors would participate in a peaceful protest, covering nearly 50 toll plazas, 15 corporate silos, and around two dozen malls across the state.