Farmers Protest put on hold till 21st February. On Sunday, Farmers leader announced that the Delhi Chalo march has been put on hold since they will study the Centre’s new plan for the minimum support price (MSP) for crops. They, however, said that the Farmers protest is on hold till February 21 if all the issues are not resolved.
The central government held their fourth round of talks with farm leaders on Sunday in a resolution to end the farmers’ protests at Delhi borders at the earliest. After the meeting, the farmer leaders decided to Farmers Protest put on hold till 21st February until further notice but asserted that their demands needed to be met at the earliest.
General secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee Sarvan Singh Pandher said, “We will have discussions on the proposal by the government in the next two days…The government will also deliberate on the other demands…We will continue with the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on February 21 if there is no result.”
Union Ministers Arjun Munda (Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare), Piyush Goyal (Minister of Commerce and Industry), and Nityanand Rai (Minister of State for Home Affairs) held the fourth round of talks with farmer leaders on Sunday over their demands.
Farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have been stationed at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13 when the police halted the Delhi Chalo protest. The call for the protest was given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
Farmers’ demands include a legal guarantee of MSP among others. After the meeting, Piyush Goyal said the Centre has proposed that government -promoted cooperative societies will buy pulses, maize and cotton crops at MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with the farmers.
#WATCH | Kurukshetra, Haryana | Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni says, “There is time until 21st February. The government should think and understand that these two things (Oilseeds and Bajra) are very important (for procurement). Just like they mentioned pulses, maize and… pic.twitter.com/0VDvTUDqZM
— ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2024
Farmers will discuss Centre’s proposal, says farmer leader Sarwan Pandher, Farmers Protest put on hold till 21st February
The Centre’s proposal of buying pulses, maize and cotton by government agencies at MSP will be discussed by farmers, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Monday. However, he asserted that they will not back out of their demand for a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops, reported news agency PTI.
Talking to reporters at the Shambhu border point, Pandher said farmers will hold a discussion on the proposal given by the Centre.
Farmers have not backed out of their demand for a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) and never will, he said while replying to a question. On Sunday, a meeting between farmer leaders and a panel of three Union ministers took place to resolve the farmers’ grievances who have launched the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal said the government had proposed five-year contracts for a minimum support price to farmers who diversify their crops to grow pigeon peas, black matte, red lentils and corn, paid by co-operative groups it promotes.
“These organisations will buy the produce and there will be no limit on quantity,” Goyal told reporters in the northern city of Chandigarh, adding that a similar price guarantee would also be offered to farmers who diversify and produce cotton.
The Centre has offered guaranteed support prices for pulses, corn and cotton in a bid to break a deadlock with protesting farmers, Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said after week-long clashes with security forces keeping the farmers out of the capital.
Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “So we will review this proposal with all our colleagues, some agricultural experts and other legal experts and then we will be able to decide what to do about it. So today we will go and have a similar discussion with our colleagues. As far as our decision to go to Delhi was concerned, it is on standby right now, we have said that today it is the 19th and on the 21st at 11 am, we will move forward peacefully.”