Farm unions rejects govt's MSP committee, says people who supported farm laws part of panel

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has rejected the government’s committee on minimum support price (MSP).

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmers' unions, has rejected the committee formed by the government on minimum support price (MSP) to resolve agricultural issues. The government, during a reply to a question in Parliament, said that three posts have been left in the committee for SKM members. However, the SKM refused to participate in the committee.

"The government has formed a committee in which those people have been made the members who supported the three farm laws. Three vacant seats for us and rest of the members are close to BJP and RSS. Why shall we join the committee?" asked SKM member Yogendra Yadav.

"The core demand of the SKM, for which the committee was supposed to be set up, has not been mentioned anywhere- which is formation of law for guarantees of MSPs. What is the need for MSP committee if they can't understand the core demand of the farmer unions," said Yogendra Yadav.

While announcing the repeal of three farm laws in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to set up a committee to discuss the farmers’ demand for a legal guarantee on MSP.

However, Hannan Mollah, SKM member and farmer union leader, said, "There is no question of SKM members going to the committee. We outrightly reject the committee as there are more BJP members already there in the committee."

Prabal Pratap Shahi, spokesman of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Asali), demanded more seats for the SKM members to make committee acceptable.

"Only three seats for SKM and rest space is for those who had supported the draconian farm laws. This is of no use for us as such committees only work on majority votes. If we are minority in the committee, then how can we get our voice heard? Moreover, there is no mention of any law on MSP guarantee," he said.