New Delhi, India

The farmers from Punjab called for a march to the capital city after the five-hour meeting with the cabinet ministers remained inconclusive. The protesters have been demanding a law guaranteeing minimum support prices for crops, besides a host of other demands.

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The ministers failed to reach any resolution on the main demands of the farmers, one of them being a law to guarantee a Minimum Support Price for all crops. India's Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, along with Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal held the meeting with the farmers. 

After 11 pm local time on Feb 12 (Monday), both sides agreed to repeal the Electricity Act 2020 and also decided on the withdrawal of cases filed against farmers during the movement as well as compensation to farmers who were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Also Read: Farmers protest: Kejriwal government declines Centre's appeal to turn stadium into jail

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However, they failed to reach a consensus on three key demands - farmer loan waiver, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations and enactment of a law for guaranteeing a Minimum Support Price for all crops. 

How does the current protest differ from the past one? 

1. In 2020, the farmers were protesting against the three laws which were finally repealed in 2021.

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In 2023, 'Delhi Chalo' protest was announced with the demand of a legal guarantee to MSP for all crops, full debt waiver for farmers, withdrawal of cases filed against farmers during the 2020-21 protest, the implementation of Swaminathan Commission's formula and pension for farmers and labourers. 

2. Various unions have been spearheading the farmers' protest 2.0 as the landscape of the farmers' unions has changed in the last few years. Delhi Chalo 2.0 has been announced by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha and Bharatiya Kisan Union, which led the 2020 protest of farmers, have since split into several factions.

Watch: Farmers Protest: Over 250 farmer unions participating in ongoing agitation

3. Rakesh Tikait and Gurnam Singh Charuni were the two main leaders who led the 2020 protest. However, they have been missing from the current protest.

Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, leader of SKM (non-political) are at the forefront now.

4. In 2020, the farmers had entered the national capital. However, this time the administration has adopted strict pre-emptive measures to stop them from entering Delhi. They have used nails on roads, cement barricades and barbed wire to block all roads to Delhi. The government has imposed Section 144 across the capital. The Haryana government has also sealed its borders along with Punjab.

5. The negotiation process before the start of the farmers' Delhi Chalo march was initiated by the government. 

6. This time, the protesting farmers are flying kites in a bid to counter the drones deployed to drop tear gas canisters on them by police officials. They are also using barricade-proof modified tractors, and gas masks and avoiding roads and fording rivers and streams. 

(With inputs from agencies)