India Farmer Protest to Resume After Failed Talks

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Facts

  • Following failed talks over crop prices, Indian farmers have announced the resumption of their march to Delhi, saying the guaranteed floor prices offered by the government for pulses, maize, and cotton were 'not in their interest.'1
  • The protesters, whose march was stopped by the police last week, want a minimum support price (MSP) on all crops. They have used kites and slingshots to deflect tear gas-dropping drones and are preparing to use bulldozers against barricades.2
  • The protesters settled in the border town of Shambhu between the Punjab and Haryana states during the talks, which saw the government offer a five-year contract for MSPs on certain crops.3
  • Already, a 21-year-old protester was killed during the march and others were injured in clashes, as the police allegedly fired rubber bullets.4
  • The farmers are threatening to push through barricades, concrete blocks, and metal spikes, and may use protective goggles against tear gas. The police said they would prosecute anyone providing the protesters with excavators.5
  • Four days worth of talks have failed, while the farmers are also seeking pensions and the implementation of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. They also want all police cases related to their 2021 protest dropped.4

Sources: 1BBC News, 2barrons.com, 3Washington Post, 4Deccan Herald and 5RFI.

Narratives

  • Right narrative, as provided by Swarajyamag. MSP law is not the solution. Since supply and demand vary through seasons, once the demand is met through buying based on MSP, the rest of the crop can be rendered useless. Farmers will wind up bearing the brunt since those buying at prices lower than MSP amid weak demand could be punished by law.
  • Left narrative, as provided by The Wire. The BJP must implement the cost-effective and fair MSPs that farmers deserve. The truth is that farmers would only produce enough to meet supply, and thus only profit from MSP. What the government actually wants is to keep prices low so that labor costs remain low to benefit business elites. If the BJP offered workers liveable wages, these protests would go away.

Predictions