BJP platform has nothing for farmers: Samyukt Kisan Morcha

According to an official statement published by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) today, the BJP manifesto for the 2024 election, dubbed “Modi ki Guarantee,” has no mention of the MSP formula (C2+50%) as suggested by the Swaminathan Commission, guarantees on procurement, farmers’ suicides, or debt waivers.

The manifesto makes no mention of inflation when it states that “it will continue to increase the MSP from time to time.” It is noteworthy that the BJP platform makes no mention of the severe agricultural situation given the national farmers’ battle. The SKM said that other political parties have been unequivocal in their election manifestos about the agricultural problem and the need of the remunerative MSP, as suggested by the Swaminathan Commission, among other issues.

The PM Samman Nidhi sum of Rs 6,000 per year, which amounts to a pitiful Rs 500 per month for a farming family, was also criticized by the SKM. “Despite the promise BJP made in the 2014 manifesto, the Modi government did not provide debt relief of a single rupee to farmers and farm workers, even though 1,00,474 farmers and 3,12,214 daily earners committed suicide between 2014 and 2022,” the statement said.

It said that the scheduled commercial banks had written off a total of Rs 14.55 lakh crore in corporate house loans during the last nine fiscal years under the Modi administration, from 2014–15 to 2022–23. “And the BJP remains silent on the grave problem of the agrarian crisis in the election manifesto 2024, despite the fact that 30 farmers commit suicide every day in India.”

“The Modi guarantee will only facilitate ‘vikas’ for corporates and cause widespread suicides of farmers and farm workers if it does not reverse the pro-corporate policy of ‘Vikasit Bharath’ and ensure remunerative price to farmers, minimum wage to farm workers, and freedom from indebtedness thus, end the agrarian crisis.” According to the statement, “the SKM views the BJP’s election manifesto as an open challenge to farmers and farm workers across India.”