New Delhi, February 19: Farmer leaders on Monday, February 19, rejected the government's proposal on the minimum support price or MSP. Speaking to media from Shambhu border, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said both forums of the farmers' union discussed the government's proposal, but there is "nothing" in it. "This is not in favour of farmers. We reject it," he declared.
On February 18, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai held the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders and proposed buying of pulses, maize and cotton crops by government agencies at minimum support prices for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers. However, farmer leaders have been demanding a law guaranteeing MSP.
Following the fourth round of talks, Piyush Goyal gave details of the government's proposal, adding that the other demands of the farmers were "deep and policy-driven" and it was not possible to find a resolution without an in-depth discussion.
What Do Farmers Want?
In addition to a legal guarantee of MSP, farmers seek the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.
Hundreds of farmers, mainly from Punjab, have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri points on the state's border with Haryana since February 13 when their "Delhi Chalo" march was halted by police. The call for the march was given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. (With agency inputs)
