Farmers’ Organizations Protested against Pro-Corporate Policies

Responding to the call given by farmers’ organizations affiliated to the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and 10 Central trade unions, lakhs of farmers and workers across the country protested on 9 August 2020 against the Modi government’s pro-corporate policies and intent to sell off the country’s national assets.

Farmers raised the following demands:

1. Revoke the three ordinances passed on 5 June 2020—(a) the Farmers” Produce trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance 2020, (b) the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance 2020 and (c) the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance 2020—because these ordinances are undemocratic and have been passed under cover of Covid-19 and the countrywide Lockdown. These ordinances will result in crop prices falling and will end seed security, resulting in increased food prices for consumers.


2. Ensure guarantee of freedom from debt for all farmers. Government should pass the Freedom from Debt Act proposed by AIKSCC, waive loans for Rabi 2019-20 crops and issue interest-free KCC for the Kharif crop 2020. Waive interest on Group loans taken from micro-finance companies and stop forcible collection of installments.


3. Ensure that full and profitable price becomes the legal right of all farmers. Government should pass the profitable Minimum Support Price Guarantee Act for all farmers, for which it is essential that a minimum price of C2+50% is declared for all agricultural products including vegetables, fruits and milk. Government should guarantee crop procurement at this price along with legal rights for farmers. Procurement of crops at less than the MSP should be declared a criminal offence.


4. Revoke Electricity Bill 2020. Government should withdraw this Bill and waive electricity bills of farmers, small shopkeepers, micro-entrepreneurs and common people during the Corona period. The DBT Scheme should not be implemented.


5. Farmers should be compensated for this year’s crop loss. Government should pay full compensation for crop loss due to hailstorms between February and June 2020, unseasonal rains, and Lockdown.


6. Slash diesel prices by half immediately. International rates have fallen 60% since 2014 but the Government of India’s taxes have doubled.


7. Raise the number of days for work under MNREGA to 200 and pay wages as per minimum wage rate so that agrarian workers, small farmers and migrant farmers who have returned home can find work locally and sustain their livelihoods in this time of crisis.


8. Every person should be given complete food via rations and families should be given additional cash support. The government should give rations of 15 kg food-grains, 1 kg oil, 1 kg dal, and 1 kg sugar per person per month.


9. Protect the lands of adivasis and other farmers and forest resources and curb land acquisition by companies. The government should not evict farmers who have been farming for more than one generation. Stop forcible plantations on forest lands in the name of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act (CAMPA).