Agricultural workers in Haryana stage a demonstration, voicing their discontentment towards the government due to its alleged inaction over the destruction of paddy crops
Farmers in Karnal Protest Under SKM Banner, Demand MSP Law and Loan Waivers
Farmers in Karnal, Haryana, led by Bhartiya Kisan Union (Tikait) president Rattan Mann, took to the streets in a protest on Wednesday. The farmers' protest was under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a collective of farmer unions that has been at the forefront of the nationwide farmers' movement.
The farmers' main demand was the non-realisation of their pending demands, particularly a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce. In a memorandum handed over to the administration, they also requested a farm loan waiver from the government.
The memorandum specifically mentioned the government's inaction despite a wide scale spread of virus in paddy fields of the state. It highlighted the need for a halt to the installation of smart meters on domestic power supply, which the farmers view as part of broader privatization and surveillance measures on farmers' utilities.
The protest in Karnal was accompanied by a tractor march to the deputy commissioner's office. Bhartiya Kisan Union (Tikait) president Rattan Mann led a large number of farmers in the tractor march to show unity for their pending demands.
This is not the first time farmers under the SKM banner have taken to the streets to voice their concerns. Similar protests were held at Assandh town of the district and other places in the state following the call by SKM. The farmers' demands are not limited to Karnal or Haryana but are part of a broader movement across the country.
The SKM, along with allied Central Trade Unions, continues to actively mobilize farmers and workers for nationwide protests, emphasizing their core demands including a guaranteed MSP based on the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations and loan waivers for farmers. They oppose policies perceived as detrimental to farmers, such as the National Cooperation Policy (NCP) 2025 and proposed free trade agreements like the India-US and India-UK deals.
The farmers fear that these trade agreements could flood Indian markets with cheaper, subsidized imports, undermining local farmers' income. They also express concern over the NCP 2025, arguing that it fails to protect farmers’ livelihoods, does not guarantee MSP or minimum wages, lacks measures for empowering marginalized groups, and opens agriculture to corporate dominance indirectly.
The SKM urges government regulation of corporate entry and enhanced cooperative federalism, underscoring MSP protection as a priority. The farmers have actively demonstrated by burning effigies of political leaders and have organized tractor rallies, motorcycle rallies, and public gatherings to sustain the momentum of the protests.
The latest updates on the ongoing farmers' protests reveal that the protests are ongoing with planned mass mobilizations like the nationwide protest on August 13, 2025, and continued public expressions of dissent against government and international policies perceived as unfavorable to Indian agriculture.
[1] The Indian Express [2] The Hindu [3] The Wire [4] NDTV [5] Business Standard
- In alignment with the broader nationwide farmers' movement,Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) in India has called for a guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) for agricultural produce and farm loan waivers, a demand also echoed by farmers in Karnal during their recent protest.
- The Indian government's proposed policies and legislation, such as the National Cooperation Policy (NCP) 2025 and free trade agreements with the US and UK, are viewed by farmers under the SKM banner as detrimental to their livelihoods, as they fear cheaper, subsidized imports will undermine local farmers' income.
- Amidst ongoing protests and public expressions of dissent, General News coverage and publications like The Indian Express, The Hindu, The Wire, NDTV, and Business Standard continue to monitor policy-and-legislation and the role of Indian politics in shaping the future of agriculture, with a focus on issues like the protection of MSP and restraining corporate dominance.
