NEW DELHI: Farmers protesting against the newly-enacted agri laws on Sunday received support from RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) over their demand for a legal guarantee to ensure foodgrain purchase at minimum support price (MSP).
This is the second RSS-linked body after BKS to have lent support to protesting farmers on the MSP issue. Unlike the agitating farm unions, though, these two bodies don’t want the laws repealed. The SJM passed a resolution at its annual convention on virtual platforms suggesting certain amendments, including a provision to make purchases below MSP illegal. The Centre has said it is ready to give a written assurance on the “continuation” of MSP.
The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Sunday backed farmers’ demand for a legal guarantee on the continuation of minimum support price (MSP) for foodgrains, becoming the second RSS affiliate to do so. SJM co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan told TOI that a legal guarantee on MSP could be given either through amending the existing farm law on agri markets or through a new legislation.
“We believe that legal guarantee to MSP will be not only important for farmers’ well-being but also crucial for the country’s food security. It will not increase inflation as certain economists have argued,” Mahajan said, adding, “We have examples of pulses whose procurement at higher MSP encouraged farmers to produce more, reducing the price for consumers and also reduc ing the country’s import bill. So, legally guaranteed MSP will be a win-win situation.”
Experts, however, argue that the idea behind the reforms is to encourage private investment and trade, and official agencies cannot in any case procure all crops. The SJM also suggested establishment of ‘farmer courts’ on the lines of ‘consumer courts’ instead of empowering SDMs to resolve disputes arising from contract farming.
Though the government in its draft proposal shared with farm unions has agreed to allow dispute resolution through an appeal mechanism in civil court, both SJM and BKS suggested a separate court to deal with farming issues. The SJM’s resolution said the government’s intention in bringing new agricultural laws was good but some amendments were needed to overcome the drawbacks.