Congress Demands Urgent Discussion on Agrarian Crisis Amid Farmers' Agitation

Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala has filed a notice in the Rajya Sabha demanding suspension of all business to discuss the agrarian crisis and ongoing farmers' protests over the lack of a legal MSP guarantee. Concurrently, in Uttar Pradesh, a special committee is addressing farmers' demands as security tensions rise.

In a significant parliamentary move, Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala submitted a Suspension of Business notice to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, invoking rule 267. The notice urges the House to focus on the severe agrarian crisis and ongoing farmer protests demanding a legal safeguard for Minimum Support Price (MSP).

The notice cites the Swaminathan Commission's recommendation that MSP should be determined as C2 + 50%, covering costs like production, labor, land rent, machinery rent, and capital costs. Surjewala highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as Gujarat's Chief Minister in 2011, advocated for this scheme. Despite formal MSP announcements, real procurement remains deficient, causing farmer unrest.

Amid escalating tensions, the Uttar Pradesh government has formed a committee to resolve ongoing farmer protests, chaired by IAS Anil Kumar Sagar. The committee's findings are due in a month. Meanwhile, protests organized by the Bhartiya Kisan Parishad and other groups demand MSP guarantees, with security heightened in the Noida-Delhi region.

(With inputs from agencies.)