‘Delhi Chalo’ March: Farmers will stand firm on Punjab-Haryana borders

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The protesting farmers will remain stuck at the two borders of Punjab and Haryana to press their various demands as the deadlock continues despite the third round of talks with a panel of Union ministers.

The five-hour meeting between the three Union ministers and farmer leaders, which began at around 8:45 pm on Thursday, February 15, remained inconclusive.

Both sides will now meet on February 18 for the fourth round of talks. The last two rounds of talks held on 8 and 12 February were also inconclusive.

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai represented the Center at Thursday’s meeting on various demands of farmer unions, including a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP). Is included. crops.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema also attended the meeting at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26, Chandigarh.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have called for ‘Delhi Chalo’ to put pressure on the BJP-led central government to accept their demands.

Talking to journalists after the meeting, Union Minister Munda said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere between the government and farmer leaders.

He said, there was a positive discussion.

He said, the talks will continue and will now take place at 6 pm on Sunday.

“We will sit together and find a solution,” he said.

Mann said that there was a detailed discussion between farmer leaders and ministers.

“There was a detailed discussion on every issue,” he said.

Mann said he raised with the Center the issue of suspension of internet services in some areas of Sangrur, Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib and the use of drones by Haryana security personnel to fire tear gas shells at protesters inside Punjab territory. .

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that there was a detailed discussion on their demands including legal guarantee for MSP and loan waiver.

“They (Union ministers) said they needed time,” Pandher said.

He said, “We want a positive result and any kind of conflict is avoided. Otherwise, our plan to go to Delhi remains intact.”

Responding to a question on whether farmers would remain on the Punjab-Haryana borders, Pandher said, “Yes”.

During the meeting with Union Ministers, farmer leaders objected to the suspension of social media accounts of various leaders.

Pandher said he also raised the issue of firing of tear gas shells by paramilitary forces on farmers at Shambhu and Khanuri borders.

He said that during the meeting he showed the shells to the ministers.

Farmers from Punjab began their march towards the national capital on Tuesday, but were stopped by security personnel at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Delhi and Haryana.

The protesting farmers are camping at the border points.

On Tuesday, farmers, mainly from Punjab, clashed with Haryana Police at two border points between the states, facing tear gas and water cannons as they tried to break barricades.

Apart from legal guarantee on MSP, farmers are demanding implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm loan waiver, withdrawal of police cases and restoration of “justice” for the victims of Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Are. Compensation to the families of farmers killed during the previous agitation under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and 2020-21.