Farmers’ agitation: Centre ready for 5th round of talks
Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda said on Wednesday that the central government is ready to discuss all the issues raised by the Punjab farmers.
He further invited the farmers for a fifth round of talks while urging them to find a solution through ‘dialogue’.
“After the fourth round, the government is ready to discuss all the issues like MSP (minimum support price), crop diversification, stubble issue, FIR in the fifth round. I again invite the farmer leaders for discussion,” Arjun Munda said while speaking to ANI on Wednesday.
“I appeal to them to maintain peace and we should find a solution through dialogue,” he added.
He said that the farmers have not responded to the invite yet while appealing to move forward with the talks.
“No information has come yet (from farmers’ side). We appeal that we should move forward for talks and present our stand. The government also wants to move forward and find a solution,” the union minister said.
Earlier in the day, the general secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Sarwan Singh Pandher reiterated the demand for a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) and assured a peaceful approach going ahead.
The farmer leader said that as the ‘Dilli Chalo’ resumed on Wednesday, only the leaders will be marching towards the
national capital.
“We have decided that no farmer, youth will march forward. Leaders will march ahead. We will not attack our Jawans. We will go peacefully. All this can be ended if they (central government) make a law on MSP,” Sarwan Singh Pandher told ANI.
Also, addressing the protesting farmers, he appealed to move forward peacefully.
The farmers’ leaders were seen wearing protective gears including masks, safety glasses and headphones to defend the
resistive measures undertaken by the security forces.
In resistance to the protests, the forces used tear gas shells, water cannons apart from the multi-layer barricading deployed at various borders of Delhi.
Several farmers and police personnel were injured in the clashes during the march that started on February 13.
The protesting farmers have been camping at the Shambhu border near Ambala since the start of the march.
Meanwhile, Congress na
tional president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday, expressed strong support for the ongoing farmers’ protest, declaring that the party stands firmly with them.
“We are supporting them (farmers). We are saying openly that their reasonable demands should be fulfilled. We are going to say this in our election manifesto also that a legal guarantee will be given. All crops cannot be covered but the essential crops should be done (providing MSP),” Mallikarjun Kharge said.
The government is ready to discuss all issues like MSP, stubble issue, crop diversification... I again invite the farmer leaders for discussion ARJUN MUNDA