Farmers Protest: ‘Delhi Chalo’ Leaders Set To Discuss Government Offer, Samyukta Kisan Morcha Rejects Proposal

Farmer leaders engaged in the Delhi Chalo agitation have stated their intention to deliberate on the government's proposition concerning the procurement of pulses, maize, and cotton at MSP. However, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, leading the 2020-21 protest, has rebuffed the offer. 

During the fourth round of discussions between farmer leaders and a panel comprising three Union ministers on Sunday, the proposal was made for government agencies to purchase pulses, maize, and cotton crops at minimum support prices (MSP) for a duration of five years following an agreement with farmers.

Earlier on Monday, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said farmers will hold a discussion on the Centre’s proposal but they will not budge from their demand for a law guaranteeing MSP. However, the SKM rejected the government proposal, saying it seeks to “divert and dilute” the farmers’ demand for MSP and they will accept nothing less than the ‘C-2 plus 50 per cent’ formula for MSP as recommended in the Swaminathan Commission report.

In addition to seeking a legal guarantee for MSP, farmers are advocating for the enactment of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations. They are also pressing for pension benefits for both farmers and farm laborers, the waiver of agricultural debts, a freeze on electricity tariff hikes, the dismissal of police cases lodged against protestors, and the pursuit of justice for the individuals affected by the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in 2021. Furthermore, they are demanding the reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 and compensation for the families of farmers who lost their lives during the previous agitation in 2020-21.

Thousands of protesting farmers, encamped at the Punjab-Haryana border, were engaged in the fourth round of discussions with Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai. The talks centered around addressing the demands put forth by the farmers.

Goyal had said, Cooperative societies like the NCCF (National Cooperative Consumers Federation) and NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) will enter into a contract with those farmers who grow tur dal, urad dal, masoor dal or maize for buying their crop at MSP for next five years. There will be no limit on the quantity (purchased) and a portal will be developed for this, he said.

It was also proposed that the Cotton Corporation of India will buy cotton from farmers at MSP for five years after entering into a legal agreement with them, Goyal said.