PUCL urges PM to urgently accept protesting farmers' demands, ending 10 month impasse at Punjab border

Counterview Desk

The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has appealed to the Prime Minister to urgently accept the demands of the protesting farmers relating to legal guarantee for MSP, complete waiver of loans.

Asking him to ensure that there is negotiation which brings an end to the 28 days of the fast unto death of 73-year-old Farmers leader, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, in a statement it insists on ending the impasse of the last 10 months on Shambhu and Khanauri border.

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The PUCL is shocked at the heartless manner in which the Government of India has refused to respond to the 10-month long protest of the farmers who have been sitting on the Khanauri and Shambhu borders of Punjab. What is worse is the complete disregard and callous attitude towards the fast unto death of 73-year-old Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the leader of the SKM (Non-Political), who according to the doctors on the 27th day of the fast (22nd Dec, 2024), is very critical and faces a very high risk of cardiac arrest and multiple organ failure if the fast is not withdrawn. Yet no representatives of the Government have been sent to negotiate or listen to either Jagjit Singh Dallewal or the group of protesting farmers who have been sitting at the borders.

A democracy is about listening to the voice of the people and when farmers are expressing their pain, anger and dissent, it is imperative that a government listen to them. Ignoring the protests sends out a message that the government is not response to the concerns of the farmers, who are the lifeblood of the nation. This authoritarian path of ignoring and crushing dissent taken by the Union of India does no justice to the image of India being the world’s largest democracy.

It may be recalled that the year-long farmers protest (November, 2021 to December, 2022) on Delhi borders, was lifted by farmers groups with the Government of India promising to ensure legal guarantee for the MSP for all crops amongst other demands. When fourteen months had passed with no response, a section of the farmers were extremely agitated. It was only after much thought that, on 13th February, 2023, two platforms of Farmers with hundreds of unions and groups, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha decided to march in several thousands, to Delhi to make the Government of India accountable to the promises made to lakhs of protesting farmers at the Delhi border in 2022.

As expected, they were stopped at both the Punjab - Haryana border villages of Khanauri and Shambhu in Punjab. It may be recalled the farmers were fired on with bullets and pellets killing one person and injuring several. There was police torture of some of the young farmers who were then admitted to hospital ( link PUCL press note on famers protest).

In the very initial period, some ministers of the Union Government did come and talk to the farmers leaders, urging them to not march to Delhi. However, when the farmers did not withdraw their plans, the Government of India refused to even meet them and decided to ignore them.

Several efforts were made by the farmers, but the GOI refused to hear the farmers in the last 10 months. It was the Supreme court who intervened and set up a committee to examine the feasibility of the demands made to the Government of India. The GOI has refused to make the committee report public.

When there was a complete denial of response from the Government and repression by Haryana police, in letting the protesting farmers get to Delhi, Jagjit Singh Dalewal started a fast unto death from the 26th of November, as a last resort, with the objective of making their voice and demands heard. When even that was not responded to by the callous attitude of the Government of India, the farmers on the 6th, 8th and 14th of December, in groups of hundreds tried to get into Haryana and march to Delhi, unarmed on foot, leaving behind their tractors.

The Haryana police decided to stop the marchers by using sophisticated weapons, like tear gas shells which were dangerous and lethal. The farmers also carried out Rail Roko Andolan on the 18th of December, but the Government of India has refused to respond in any way, ignoring the protest and treating it like a law-and-order problem. Earlier this month, Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced that the farmers had given a call for 'Punjab bandh' on December 30.

We at PUCL believe that the Government ought to be urgently addressing the demands of the protesting farmers. We also demand that the Supreme Court report to be made public and urge the Government to engage in a dialogue with Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Sarwan Singh Pander and other farmer leaders. A primary demand is the Legal Guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops. Additionally, farmers are calling for the withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022, opposing proposed electricity reforms and the ongoing installation of smart meters for agricultural connections. The farmers also demand a Comprehensive Debt Waiver, seeking the complete cancellation of outstanding loans. Another critical issue is the withdrawal of police cases linked to the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Protesters argue these cases are politically motivated and aim to suppress legitimate dissent. They also demand justice for the victims of the incident, including an impartial investigation and a fair trial for those accused. Further demands include reinstating the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and providing compensation to the families of farmers who lost their lives during the 2020-21 agitation.

The PUCL demands that these concerns be addressed as only if that is done that justice will be done to the farmers.

-- Kavita Srivastava (President), V. Suresh (General Secretary), PUCL

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