Thread

Story behind #FarmProtests #FarmBills

This started when Modi Govt set up Shanta Kumar Committee which gave its report in Jan 2015, recommending scrapping of Bonus given to farmers over MSP & recommending "direct cash transfers" for PDS i.e scrapping MSP procurement & FCI

Then from 2015 to 2019, Modi Govt's institutions like
@NITIAayog kept on saying in public that Min Support Procurement is an unviable Mech; then in 2019~20 reports Commission of Agriculture Costs & Pricing started recommending restricting MSP procurement from #Punjab & #Haryana

With Commission of Agriculture Costs and Prices recommending to restrict Min Support Procurement from #Punjab & #Haryana in the 2020 report, Center Govt also wrote an official letter to @capt_amarinder, asking him to curtail MSP procurement, which Punjab Govt objected strongly !

With these developments Punjab & Haryana farmers started rallying, in 2020 an all party meeting called by #farmers was attended by MLA's & MPs of #Congress, #AAP, & #SAD, where, farmers were assured by political parties, that Congress, AAP, & SAD will not allow MSP to be scrapped

After taking State political representation in confidence Punjab & Haryana farmers started to mobilize, with the goal of marching to #Delhi on 21 March, interactions with State farm groups started, & everybody was on board, but then #corona stuck, leaving no option, but to wait !

Then, on 5'th June Modi Govt brought #agri ordinances, opening #agri trade outside APMC's (without any fee or tax), meaning #agri trade in mandis would invite 6.5% tax in Haryana & 8.5% tax in Punjab i.e. slowly the APMC's will suffocate & wither away & Pvt players will take over

As Modi Govt was hell bent on using #corona epidemic as a shield to bulldoze the #FarmBills, #farmers had no choice but to come on the roads on 20'th June, 5 Aug, 15'th Aug, 10 Sept, 20 Sept, 25'th Sept. This was long time in the making, & now it is do or die for the farmers also

Now, #Punjab farmers are doing rail roko from 1st Oct, M.P/MLA's r being gheraoed; on 8'th Oct #Punjab #Haryana #Rajasthan UP farmers will have a joint meeting, & chart a common strategy for future agitation-The goal is to force the Govt to legalize MSP, assure procurement at MSP