Don't invite Punjab representatives for talks, protesting farmers ask Union Minister Shivraj Chouhan

Chandigarh, April 27 (IANS) Just ahead of holding another round of meeting with central delegation led by Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the protesting farmer unions -- the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) on Sunday urged him not to invite representatives of the Punjab government.

The meeting is scheduled in Chandigarh on May 4.

The farmer groups warned that if Punjab government functionaries are included, they, in accordance with justice and the sentiments of farmers across the country, will be forced to abstain from participating in the talks.

In a missive to Union Minister Chouhan, the farmers emphasised the key issues focused mainly on agriculture, and they can be resolved through dialogue only.

They clarified that they have always been open to talks and highlighted that their last meeting with the Centre, held on March 19, was conducted in a cordial atmosphere, with an agreement to reconvene on May 4.

Following the letter, speculations are rife that the Union government might either not invite the Punjab representatives for the meeting or it will shift the venue of the meeting to Delhi.

The farmers have also requested the Central government to communicate its decision at the earliest through a written response.

In the last round of the talks, Union Minister Chouhan reiterated the government’s commitment to the welfare of farmers. Chouhan had told the media that talks were held in a constructive manner and they will go on.

The farmer leaders reiterated their long-pending demands, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

The Union government and the farmers had a constructive and cordial discussion lasting more than three hours, during which various legal, economic and other dimensions of the farmers’ demands were explored and highlighted, a statement had said.

Chouhan was joined by his Cabinet colleagues Pralhad Joshi and Piyush Goyal, while Punjab was represented by Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian.

Farmer leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, were present. Even Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had participated in three rounds of discussions in February last year.

Based on discussions in the March 19 meeting in Chandigarh, the government has decided to conduct stakeholder consultations with farmer organisations across the country, as well as with governments of states and union territories, and other stakeholders, including traders, exporters and the food processing industry.

It has been decided to continue the talks in a positive spirit, after the stakeholder consultations.

However, the Union Ministers had assured the farmers that the government would continue to pay a patient ear to the concerns of farmers and other stakeholders and that it would act in the interest of farmers.

“The interest of farmers is paramount,” the Union ministers had assured the farmers. They appealed to the farmer community to adopt the path of dialogue and talks rather than of protest, noting that solutions will emerge only from dialogue and discussion.

--IANS

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