Farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ March

• 13 Feb 2024

Why in News?

Recently, the Union home ministry has deployed at least 50 companies of central paramilitary forces in Haryana to deal with any law and order situation during farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation.

Key Points

• The Haryana police have asked farmers not to participate without permission in a planned march to the Capital.
  • According to the official sources, the Haryana government had requested the Centre to deploy at least 64 companies of central paramilitary forces, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF).
• In 2020, the farmers protested against the three laws which after one year of their protest on Delhi borders were repealed in 2021.
• Delhi Chalo was announced in December 2023 demanding the following:
  • A legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops.
  • Implementation of Swaminathan Commmission’s formula.
  • Full debt waiver for farmers.
  • Pension for farmers and labourers.
  • Withdrawal of cases against farmers during the 2020-21 protest.
• Farmers protest 2.0 is being spearheaded by different unions. After the 2020 protest, farmers’ unions witnessed several factionalism.
  • More than 200 farmers’ unions from across the country would participate in the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.
• The steps taken to not allow farmers to enter Delhi:
  • Section 144 has been imposed in Delhi.
  • The Haryana government sealed its borders with Punjab.
  • Barbed wire, cement barricades, nails on roads have been put.
  • Massive security at all entry points to the national capital.

Minimum Support Price (MSP)

• It is the guaranteed amount paid to farmers when the government buys their produce.
• It is based on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), which considers various factors such as cost of production, demand and supply, market price trends, inter-crop price parity, etc.

Swaminathan Commission

• The Swaminathan Commission was established in 2004.
• Its report states that the government should raise the MSP to at least 50% more than the weighted average cost of production. It is also known as the C2+ 50% formula.
  • It includes the imputed cost of capital and the rent on the land (called ‘C2’) to give farmers 50% returns.

Rapid Action Force (RAF)

• It is a specialised rapid reaction wing of the Central Reserve Police Force, established in October 1992 to deal with riot and crowd control situations.
• It is a zero-response force that can be deployed to crisis situations within a minimum time, instilling confidence, and security among the general public.