Efforts to hold positive discussions with farmers’ union will continue: Agriculture minister

NEW DELHI: Amidst the ongoing farmers’ protest in Delhi, Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda on Wednesday said that efforts to engage in constructive dialogue with the farmers’ union persist. The minister also expressed readiness to hold discussions considering all viewpoints and appealed for a conducive environment for dialogue.

“I had already said that our efforts to hold positive discussions with the farmers’ union will continue. Farmers’ organizations must understand that the decision on the law that is being talked about cannot be taken in such a way that people criticize the situation without thinking and understanding in the coming days. Rather, we should try to keep in mind all the aspects of it and discuss it”, he said.

#WATCH | Delhi: Union Minister Arjun Munda, who is also negotiating with the farmer leaders, says "…The way things are being said by (farmer) organisations and the way in which instead of solving the problems, they are trying to add to those problems, is creating difficulties… pic.twitter.com/rH8AtPlqdH

— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2024

Further, the Agriculture Minister urged the farmers’ organizations to avoid actions that disrupt daily life. “The second thing is that the farmers will also have to pay attention to this, especially the leaders of those organizations who are connected with the farmers’ organization and are saying such things that do not affect the common life of the people. The common life of the people should not be troubled in any way. Creating difficulties for the common people, I think, instead of solving the problem, the problem becomes more complicated. Therefore, I will request the farmers’ organizations today that they should maintain the atmosphere of dialogue…” he added.

Meanwhile, police lobbed multiple rounds of teargas shells to disperse farmers who were approaching the police barricade at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border to resume the ‘Dilli Chalo’ protest on Wednesday. To ensure law and order, Delhi police have already enforced Section 144, restricting the entry of tractor trolleys and large assemblies.

#WATCH | Heavy traffic snarl witnessed at Delhi-Noida Chilla border ahead of farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march today. pic.twitter.com/PryL0CD0Dl

— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2024

Meanwhile, long traffic jams were seen on Wednesday at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border due to the farmers’ protest and security checks put in place by the authorities. Rapid Action Force personnel, Police personnel and Riot Control Vehicles are deployed at the Singhu Border in Delhi in view of the farmers’ protest.

The morning visuals showed intense security arrangements at the Shambhu border in Ambala, Haryana, as farmers who marched towards Delhi on Tuesday clashed with the police.

The farmers have put forth 12 demands before the central government for which they’re marching to Delhi. The protest this time has been called by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee led by farmer union leaders Jagjeet Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher.

According to the protesting farmers, the centre promised them better crop prices, after which they ended the 2021 protest. They are demanding to enact a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission report.

They are also demanding a complete debt waiver and a scheme to provide pensions to farmers and farm labourers. The farmers have also urged to scrap the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 and are demanding to reintroduce the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, ensuring consent from farmers and compensation at 4 times the collector rate.

Further, they are demanding to punish those involved in the Lakhimpur Kheri killings. An appeal to provide 200 days of employment per year and a daily wage of Rs 700 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA), linking it with farming, has also been made by the farmers.

Also, they have demanded compensation to the families of farmers who died during the protests in 2021 and a job for any family member has been put in place. (ANI)