New Delhi, March 14 (UNI) Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he raised a direct question in Parliament about the government’s unfulfilled promise to provide farmers a legally guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) based on the C2 50% formula, alleging that the government avoided giving a clear answer.
In a post on X, Gandhi said he asked the government why the commitment made to farmers in 2021 to implement a legal MSP at “C2 50%” had still not been fulfilled. “In the Lok Sabha, I asked the government a direct question: why has the promise made to farmers in 2021 to implement a legal MSP at C2 50% still not been implemented?” he wrote.
According to Gandhi, the government did not address the question directly and instead reiterated its existing MSP policy. He also claimed that the government acknowledged putting pressure on states to withdraw additional MSP bonuses. “The government admitted that it pressured states to end the MSP bonus, which was justified without any reasoning in the name of ‘national priorities’,” Gandhi said.
The Congress leader also raised concerns about India’s ongoing trade discussions with the United States, particularly references to reducing “non-trade barriers.” Gandhi questioned whether such provisions could weaken the MSP system and public procurement mechanisms that support farmers.
“Another serious question is about the trade agreement with the United States where there is talk of reducing ‘non-trade barriers’. Does this mean weakening MSP and government procurement?” he asked, adding that the government had avoided responding to this issue as well.
Gandhi further accused the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to honour its commitments to farmers and prioritising other interests over Indian agriculture. “The Modi government does not want to fulfil the promise it made to farmers. For its own interests, it is even ready to sacrifice Indian agriculture,” he alleged.
He added that his party would continue to raise the issue both inside and outside Parliament. “We will keep raising our voice within Parliament and outside to protect farmers’ rights and MSP,” Gandhi said.
The demand for a legally guaranteed MSP based on the C2 50% formula—recommended by the National Commission on Farmers chaired by agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan—has been a long-standing demand of several farmer organisations. The formula proposes fixing MSP at least 50 percent above the comprehensive cost of production (C2), which includes imputed costs such as land rent and interest on capital.
The issue gained prominence during the nationwide protests against the three farm laws enacted in 2020 by the government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party. After more than a year of protests, the Centre repealed the laws in 2021 following the 2020–2021 Indian farmers’ protest. Farmer groups have since continued to demand a statutory guarantee for MSP, arguing that it would provide income security to cultivators across the country.
