Why are farmers forced to come to Delhi seeking justice: Kharge

Kharge highlighted issues such as inadequate procurement of agricultural produce, unfair pricing under the MSP, and the lack of a legal guarantee for MSP in a post on X (formerly Twitter)

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday took to social media to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi on why farmers were forced to come to Delhi seeking justice.

Farmers cover their faces with cloth as police fire tear gas during a protest at the Punjab-Haryana state Shambhu border in Punjab on December 8 (AFP)

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kharge highlighted issues such as inadequate procurement of agricultural produce, unfair pricing under the MSP, and the lack of a legal guarantee for MSP.

This comes a day after the Haryana Police and paramilitary forces stopped a group of 101 farmers who had resumed their foot march to Delhi from the Shambhu border. The police cited prohibitory orders and the lack of permission for the protest, blocking the farmers with a multilayer barricade.

Kharge accused the central government of “repeatedly betraying the farmers,” who have been demanding a legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP), as well as a farm debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm laborers, no hike in electricity tariffs, withdrawal of police cases against farmers, and justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

“Farmers are pleading for justice because your government has betrayed them repeatedly. The fraud of doubling farmers’ income by 2022, implementing Input Cost + 50% MSP, and forming a committee to give legal status to MSP. On top of that, farmers face an acute shortage of DAP and fertilizers!” Kharge wrote in Hindi.

Kharge also criticised Modi for measures to disrupt the farmers’ protest march to Delhi, saying, “You laid a net of barbed wire, turned the Delhi border into a cantonment, and tried to stop their peaceful march with tear gas. Previously, you fired rubber bullets and used lathis.”

The Haryana police, who had initially offered the farmers tea, biscuits, and showered them with flower petals, soon resorted to tear gas shells, water cannons, and chemical sprays to disperse the protesters as the confrontation escalated on Sunday afternoon.

The farmers alleged that at least seven of them were injured in the tear gas shelling by the security forces.

The Congress leader condemned Modi’s earlier remarks calling farmers “andolanjeevi” (agitators) and “parjeevi” (parasites), and for not observing two minutes of silence for the 750 farmers martyred during protests.

“No matter how many lies you and your agriculture minister tell, the farmers have understood that you are their staunch opponent. Don’t take away their right to raise their voice or do them injustice!” Kharge added.