CHANDIGARH: A meeting between a Central team led by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and farmers' representatives to discuss their various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP on crops, was held here cordially on Friday and the next round of talks has been scheduled to take place on February 22.
The over two-and-a-half-hour meeting with the 28-member delegation from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha was held after a year-long protest by farmers.
The two outfits have been spearheading the ongoing farmers' protest at Shambhu and Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border for the past one year.
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, led the central team, which also included two Punjab cabinet ministers, Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian and Punjab Food Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak.
Additionally, Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha and DGP Gaurav Yadav were present at the meeting, which was held at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration.
After the meeting, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, "In the meeting, the government officials outlined the steps being taken under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership to address farmers' welfare.
After listening to their concerns and demands for over two hours, we discussed the measures being implemented for the welfare of farmers under PM Modi's leadership. These discussions will continue on February 22, under the leadership of Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan," he said.
He emphasised that the government approached the talks with a positive mindset and that this approach would continue. Joshi also appealed to Dallewal to end his fast, assuring him that the government would continue addressing the issues through dialogue.
During the meeting, Joshi shared data regarding the procurement of paddy from the last season and assured that all arrangements were in place to procure the next wheat crop. He also highlighted the efforts being made to encourage crop diversification and the cultivation of pulses, vegetables, and fruits.
Talking to reporters separately, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on an indefinite fast, too said that the meeting was held in a positive atmosphere and another meeting will be held next week on February 22.
Jagjit Singh Dallewal arrived at the meeting in an ambulance from the Khanauri border.
"In today’s meeting, it was decided that the next round of talks will take place on February 22, with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan participating, along with two other union ministers. The location for the meeting—either in Chandigarh or Delhi—has yet to be decided," Dallewal said after the meeting.
Dallewal said that while he would continue receiving medical aid, he would not end his hunger strike, which had entered its 81st day, until the government met the farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops.
Meanwhile, farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar mentioned that the minister and the central team urged Dallewal to end his fast. "We presented our demands, but the central government minister urged SKM (Non-Political) and KMM to request Dallewal to end his fast. However, he (Dallewal) and the two forums made it clear that their protest would continue until a law is made for MSP," he said.
"The indefinite fast—up to death—of Dallewal will continue," said farmer leader Kaka Singh Kotra.
The farmer leaders presented ten demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP, the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission Report, debt waiver for farmers and farm workers, a pension scheme for farmers and laborers, the cancellation of cases registered against farmers during the 2020-21 protests, and compensation and jobs for the families of farmers who had died during the protests.
Dallewal, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) convenor, has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point since November 26, to press the Centre on various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP on crops.
On January 18, a delegation of senior officials from the Union Agriculture Ministry, led by Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan, invited representatives from SKM (Non-Political) and KMM to discuss the issues.