<p>Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured the Rajya Sabha on Friday that the Narendra Modi government would procure all farm produce at the minimum support price (MSP). His remarks came amid escalating farmer protests and their planned march to Delhi with demands, including legal backing for MSP. </p>
<p>Speaking during Question Hour, Chouhan stated, “I want to assure the House through you that all produce of farmers will be purchased at minimum support price. This is the Modi government and the guarantee to fulfil Modi’s guarantee.” </p>
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-media-max-width=”560″>
<p dir=”ltr” lang=”hi”>आदरणीय श्री जयराम रमेश जी MSP को लेकर मेरी राय बहुत पवित्र है। मेरे लिए किसानों की सेवा भगवान की पूजा है। <a href=”https://t.co/QrqiIUyYca”>pic.twitter.com/QrqiIUyYca</a></p>
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ChouhanShivraj/status/1864943125963198919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>December 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” async=”” charset=”utf-8″></script>
</p>
<p>The minister also took a swipe at the Opposition, asserting, “When our friends from the other side were in power, they had said on record that they cannot accept the MS Swaminathan Commission recommendations, especially on giving 50 per cent more than the cost of produce. I have the record.” Responding to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s direction, Chouhan agreed to substantiate his claims with documents. </p>
<p>Highlighting the government’s efforts, Chouhan said, “Since 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to calculate the minimum support price by giving 50 per cent profit on cost of production to farmers.” He added that crops such as paddy, wheat, jowar, and soyabean have been purchased at 50 per cent above production costs over the past three years. He also referred to measures like export duty adjustments to stabilise commodity rates when prices fall. </p>
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-media-max-width=”560″>
<p dir=”ltr” lang=”hi”>आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री <a href=”https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@narendramodi</a> जी ने फर्टिलाइजर पर सब्सिडी देने और किसानों को सस्ती खाद उपलब्ध कराने का चमत्कार किया है। <a href=”https://t.co/Igi4kIDMEp”>pic.twitter.com/Igi4kIDMEp</a></p>
— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ChouhanShivraj/status/1864947100657578445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>December 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” async=”” charset=”utf-8″></script>
</p>
<p>He also remarked, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has performed the miracle of giving subsidy on fertilisers and making available cheap manure to the farmers.”</p>
<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a title=”” href=”https://news.abplive.com/cities/delhi-chalo-farmers-called-off-as-haryana-police-use-tear-gas-at-haryana-punjab-shambhu-border-sarwan-singh-pandher-watch-videos-1736017″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener” data-toggle=”tooltip” data-html=”true” data-original-title=”Story ID: 1736017″>Farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ March Deferred To Dec 8, Pandher Claims 6 Injured In Tear Gas Lobbing At Shambhu Border</a></strong></p>
<h3><strong>Farmers’ Protest Deferred To Sunday As Agitators Give Modi Govt Time For Talks</strong></h3>
<p>Meanwhile, tensions erupted at the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu border as farmers clashed with police during their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march. Protesters were met with teargas shells, leaving some injured. Sarwan Singh Pandher, a farmer leader, announced the suspension of the march for the day, citing the injuries. </p>
<p>Pandher also confirmed that a group of 101 farmers would march towards Delhi on 8 December at noon. “Tomorrow’s day has been kept for talks with the central government. They have said that they are ready for talks, so we will wait till tomorrow. We want talks to happen. We do not want a confrontation with the government; we will remain peaceful,” he said. </p>
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-media-max-width=”560″>
<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WATCH</a> | At the Shambhu border, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher says, “Now ‘Jattha’ of 101 farmers will march towards Delhi on December 8 at 12 noon. Tomorrow’s day has been kept for talks with the central government. They have said that they are ready for talks, so we will… <a href=”https://t.co/3llMjDGvsd”>pic.twitter.com/3llMjDGvsd</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1864999593471258943?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>December 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” async=”” charset=”utf-8″></script>
</p>
<p>He criticised the government’s response, stating, “Why is the government behaving with us like an enemy country? We are citizens of this country and have made a lot of sacrifices for the nation.” He added, “The entire world saw how the fifth-largest economy of the globe committed atrocities and injured our (farmer) leaders. This, I want to repeat, is the moral victory of the farmers’ protest, and PM Modi doesn’t have an argument on why we are being stopped from moving ahead peacefully.” </p>
<p>The protests have reignited the demand for a legal guarantee of MSP, with farmers seeking substantive action from the government.</p>