Next round of talks between protesting farmers, Centre today
Chandigarh: A fresh round of discussions between protesting farmers and the Central government is set to take place on Saturday evening, focusing on key demands, including a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops. The meeting will be held at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Public Administration in Chandigarh, despite earlier demands from farmers that it be conducted in Delhi.
Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Joint Secretary, Purna Chandra Kishan, addressed a letter to farmer leaders Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher, confirming the meeting. The letter, dated February 19, noted, “This is in continuation of the previous meeting with the leaders of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) which was held on February 14 in Chandigarh.”
The February 14 talks, led by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and attended by representatives of the agitating farmers, reportedly took place in a “cordial atmosphere.” However, key issues, including MSP, remained unresolved. Joshi had indicated that another meeting, to be led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, would be scheduled, with his participation as well.
“We had put forth our demands with clarity and backed them with facts,” said farmer leader Dallewal, who was present at the previous discussions. “But the government has yet to make any concrete commitments.”
The farmers, who have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, have several demands beyond MSP. These include a full waiver of farm loans, pensions for farmers and agricultural labourers, no increase in electricity tariffs, withdrawal of police cases against protesters, and justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Additionally, they seek the reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation for families of farmers who lost their lives during the 2020-21 agitation against now-repealed farm laws.
“This is not just about MSP; it is about securing the future of farmers and ensuring justice for those who have suffered,” said Sarwan Singh Pandher. “The government needs to understand that these are not just demands, but the needs of the farming community.”
Prior to the February 14 meeting, four rounds of discussions were held between central ministers and farmer representatives earlier in February, but they failed to yield a resolution. With tensions still high and farmers determined to continue their agitation, all eyes are now on Saturday’s meeting to see if a breakthrough can be achieved.
