Anna Hazare threatens to launch protest if farmers’ demands not met by Centre

Social activist Anna Hazare has threatened to launch a protest in the national capital next month if his demands concerning farmers are not fulfilled in time. In a detailed letter, he said farmers were not getting correct minimum support price (MSP), leading to suicides. Hazare said that the state Agriculture Commission, which computes the costs on produce, always depresses the prices under the influence of the Union Agriculture Ministry.

Hazare, who got nationwide fame during the anti-corruption movement against Congress-led UPA in 2011, said that the Agriculture Commission should do the correct valuation of costs on produce and fix the MSP accordingly. He also said that the state Commission, which presently works under the Union Agriculture Ministry, should be made an independent and autonomous body like the Election Commission. He further said that the MSP should be fixed for vegetables as well.

Social activist Anna Hazare says he will launch a protest in New Delhi in January 2021 if his demands concerning farmers are not fulfilled in time. pic.twitter.com/fOIBAuSC7P

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2020

The activist said that on two different occasions he sat on protests and was assured by the Centre that his demands would be looked into, but nothing happened on those written assurances.

Hazare’s letter comes just days before the scheduled meeting between farmers and Centre over the three farm laws. The farmer unions have accepted the invitation by Centre to hold talks to end the months-long protest against the newly enacted laws. The farmers have been demanding the withdrawal of the three laws but the Centre has refused to repeal the laws but is open to make some amendments.