2024 Indian farmers' protest

The 2024 Indian farmers' protest is the second round of continuous protests and road blockades initiated by farmers in the northern states of Punjab and Haryana on 13 February 2024, primarily located at Punjab's Shambhu border. The main requests of the protests include securing legal assurance for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops and complete forgiveness of loans for all farmers.
In September 2020, the Parliament enacted three bills: the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020. The administration claims that such laws would diminish the government's involvement in agriculture and create greater opportunities for the private sector. The farmers were concerned that eliminating government protections would make them vulnerable to businesses.
In 2021, farmers protested against these laws. Over 200 farmers' organisations joined the protest. On November 19, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that the centre had chosen to revoke the three agriculture laws passed by Parliament in the year 2020.
The farmers are protesting once more, alleging that the government has failed to fulfil the promises made in 2020–2021. They also blame the government for not attempting to double their incomes. Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) organised a statewide rural and industrial strike to show displeasure with the government.
2024: Farmers protest demands:
Financial Security:
Market Support:
Other Demands:
With tens of thousands of farmers marching towards Delhi with their thousands of tractors, the police sealed the borders and placed barricades to prevent the farmers from entering Delhi. Section 144 was imposed for a month, preventing the gathering of three or more people. At the Shambu border between Haryana and Punjab, where thousands of farmers gathered, police used tear gas and rubber bullets, while drones flew overhead to drop tear gas on the protesting crowds. Barricades were also placed at the Gazipur and Tikri borders. Internet services were suspended in seven districts of Haryana. The borders between Haryana and Delhi were also blocked. Not all the farmers that participated in the 2020 protests are part of this protest. A group of 250 farmers' unions, organized under the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (a non-political platform consisting of 150 unions) from Punjab, are leading the 2024 protest.
The march was paused as discussions were ongoing between the farmer's unions and the government ministers.
After again suspending their strike until the end of February after a young farmer died during the protests, the farmers resumed their march to the capital. The protest leaders alleged that dozens of farmers were detained during the march, forcing them to call it off. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) said in a statement that farmers moving towards Delhi had been stopped by police in some states. Reportedly, fifty farmers were taken into custody in Rajasthan on March 5, while others travelling to Delhi by train were also detained. The Rajasthan police denied detaining any farmers.
Following the fourth round of talks between a government panel and the farmers, the central government proposed a 5-year plan for the procurement of pulses and maize at Minimum Support Price (MSP). The MSP serves as a protective measure devised by the government to assure farmers of a guaranteed price for their harvest, shielding them from market uncertainties. Acknowledging the significance of pulses and maize in the agricultural landscape, the government's proposition seeks to extend enduring assistance by ensuring a steady income for farmers.
Under the proposal, a fixed quantity of pulses and maize will be procured at MSP over the next five years. This initiative holds paramount importance in fostering price stability, curbing the exploitation of farmers by intermediaries, and fostering agricultural sustainability. By establishing a dependable market and an equitable pricing system, the plan endeavours to motivate farmers to persist in cultivating these crops, thus bolstering the country's food security efforts.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a non-political body of farmers that claims to be a platform of over 150 farmer organisations, and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, which is backed by another 100 farmers' unions, are leading the 'Delhi Chalo' march. The protests are led by Jagjit Singh Dallewal of BKU (Dallewal) and Sarvan Singh Pandher of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
February 2024 clashes:
A video containing the comments of Jagjit Singh Dallewal of BKU (Dallewal), an important leader of the protest, has generated some amount of controversy. In this video, Dallewal is shown indicating that they want to bring down Narendra Modi's graph (his popularity) that soared due to the consecration of the Ram Mandir, and that these protests offer a window of opportunity to achieve that. These remarks were criticized by Khattar, the Haryana Chief Minister. However, Pawan Khera of the Indian National Congress supported Dallewal's remarks, responding that the farmers have every right to express their political views.