Rajasthan farmers pin hope on tractor rally and 'Gaon Bandh Andolan' for MSP guarantee

Jaipur: Farmers in Rajasthan are getting together again to press their demand for legal guarantee for their crops including a proposed tractor rally and 'Gaon Bandh Andolan.'

Rajasthan Kisan Mahapanchayat, an organisation working for the farmers’ welfare is all set for another tractor rally on March 11 to demand a MSP law (minimum support price) for their crops.

The farmers’ earlier tractor rally planned on Feb 21 in Jaipur, which would have proceeded to Delhi, had fizzled out after the leaders were arrested and their tractors apprehended in Ajmer itself.

This time at least 500 tractors are expected to join the rally in Ajmer on March 11 and proceed to Jaipur.

Rampal Jat, national president of Kisan Mahapanchayat, said as both the central and state government who can easily frame a law on MSP have shied away, despite the formation of a high-level committee and affirmative report by sub-committee submitted in 2020-21. He also reiterated that both parties BJP and Congress have not clarified their stand on MSP.

He said the Congress had dismissed the recommendations made by agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan in 2004 that MSP should be at least 50 per cent more than the weighted average cost of production, classified as C2 by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).

C2 is the most comprehensive definition of production cost of crops as it takes into account the rentals or interest loans, owned land and fixed capital assets over and above A2 which is the paid out expenses incurred by the farmers and A2+FL which also includes the input value of unpaid family labour.

He said the state government has the authority to make a law on MSP but the BJP government is not making any effort and that farmers are being treated as state enemies.

He said as such farmers are now engaged in protest, dharnas and rallies instead of agricultural work which is their bread and butter.

Former professor of MNIT, Gopal Modani, who is also part of the famers’ campaign said due to lack of MSP, farmers in Rajasthan are having to sell their mustard produce at Rs 4200 to Rs 5000 per quintal, suffering a loss of over Rs 1400 per quintal, whereas the MSP for mustard is ideally set at Rs 5650 per quintal.

The farmers, who met at Bandar Sindri village in Ajmer yesterday, were roughened up by the police yesterday and threatened the villagers and even tent house people attending it.

If the tractor rally is stopped, farmer organisations in Rajasthan are planning a Goan Bandh Andolan, in which at least 45000 villages of the state are expected to participate.

Participating in the Andolan would mean farmers would not go out to sell their produce and all villagers would remain in the village unless there are extenuating circumstances. This way those who want to buy the produce would have to come to the village to get it and buy it at the designated MSP. The move is likely to root out the middlemen and agents.