Union Minister Arjun Munda on Wednesday invited farmer leaders for discussion on various issues like MSP demand, crop diversification, stubble issue, and FIR in the fifth round of talks.
On Tuesday, he appealed to the protesting farmers to maintain peace, after they threatened to resume their agitation and march to the national capital on Wednesday. They had rejected the government’s proposal to buy pulses, maize, and cotton crops at guaranteed prices for five years, and announced they would continue with their ‘Delhi chalo’ agitation.
The farmers, who have been pressing the Union government to accept their demands such as a legal guarantee on the minimum support price, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and farm laborers, and farm debt waiver, were not impressed with the government’s offer. Farmer leaders said the proposal was not in their interest, adding that they want a legal MSP guarantee for all 23 crops, not just pulses, maize, and cotton.
The farmers are led by two umbrella bodies—the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM)—representing 200 farm unions.
Following this, Delhi Police on Tuesday directed security personnel deployed at the city’s Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur border points to stay alert. The Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana also extended the temporary ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts of the state till Wednesday i.e. February 21 in the wake of farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation.
