Anna Hazare's letter to the PM

Anna Hazare wrote to PM Modi demanding fixation of MSP

Amid the peaking protests by farmers on the borders of Delhi, social activist Anna Hazare wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting that farmers should get 50% more than the inputs they have put in. Even after the government's assurance regarding the same in the past, farmers are deprived of their fair share. Farmers from all over the country are expressing their outrage on the new farm laws being passed by the government in September. The laws aim to cut out government's interference in buying and selling of crops thereby, opening the markets for farmers to sell their crops anywhere in the country.

The letter in Hindi declared, "Your government is not abiding by the written assurance given by it after my fast in Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi on 29 March 2018 for seven days. This is to bring your promises under your consideration. This might call upon a hunger strike if your assurance will not be fulfilled."

The letter clearly asserted that the government had accepted the Ahwal (recommendations) of Swaminathan Commission which states that 50% of cost price of produce should be increased while calculating MSP. "If you conceded to the demands then why aren't you implementing them? Upholding the demand we first fasted on 23 March 2018. On 29 March 2018, Minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and then Maharashtra's CM Devender Fadnavis came with a written guarantee from the PM Office," the letter read.

Hazare mentioned that the decision was assured by the Central government to fixate Minimum Selling Price (MSP) 50% more than the cost price. The same was reiterated in budget speech. They guaranteed to follow their words but nothing has been acted upon so far. According to the letter, following aspects are taken into consideration while calculating MSP- the labour of farmers, cost of seeds, cost of cattle or machinery hired, value of fertilizers, irrigation and electricity, the land revenue and costs of insecticides, herbicides, khurpani (weeding) and nangarni (ploughing). Due to the reduction imposed by Central Agricultural Price Commission (Commission for agricultural costs and prices) farmers don't get more than 50% of the cost price instead are often denied the cost price, compelled to sell their produce at great losses. This is major reason for suicide among farmers as told by Hazare.

"As per the Constitution, the government is responsible to safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens and protect them from getting exploited. Everyone should get the right price of their labour. But farmers who nourish the nation are often denied their basic livelihood. They should get more than 50% of the cost price as promised by you," he said. If the demands are not met soon Anna said that he will go on hunger strike by the end of the month.