Farmers, Central govt to hold 7th meeting on March 19; legal MSP guarantee among 13 key issues
Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal confirms that representatives from both farmer forums will be present at meeting to present their stance
PTC Web Desk: The seventh round of talks between the protesting farmers and the Central Government would take place on March 19 at 11 am in Chandigarh. The ongoing discussions revolve around 13 key issues, including the legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.
The Central Government has officially sent an invitation to the farmers for the meeting. Notably, all six previous meetings were held in Chandigarh. The farmers’ protest has been ongoing for over a year, with leaders reiterating that the agitation will continue until their demands are met.
Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal confirmed that representatives from both farmer forums will be present at the meeting to present their stance. On the other hand, the Central Government will be represented by two to three ministers, along with a minister from the Punjab Government.
Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana, has now entered the 113th day of his protest. After receiving the official letter from the Central Government, Dallewal released a video message confirming that the scheduled meeting on March 19 will take place as planned. Originally set for 5 pm, the meeting has now been rescheduled to 11 am in Chandigarh.
The last meeting between the farmers and the Central Government took place on February 22, chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The discussion lasted approximately three and a half hours, during which the farmers argued that if the government agreed to provide MSP, there would be no complications in implementation.
During the meeting, the farmers presented relevant data supporting their demand for MSP. Following this, the government sought additional details from them to conduct an expert review. In response, the farmers submitted their complete records, claiming that MSP could be implemented with an estimated expenditure of Rs 25,000–Rs 30,000 crore.
In an effort to intensify their agitation, farmers have planned a series of protests and programmes:
March 21: Farmers will gather in large numbers to submit memorandums to MLAs in Shatrana, Narwana, Ghanaur, and Ambala.
March 23: On the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev, special events will be organised at all three protest sites.
March 30: The Khanauri and Shambhu protest sites will host a "Save Crops, Save Future" Mahapanchayat. The event will witness participation from students of classes 8 to 12, as well as university and college students. Discussions will focus on the importance of farming and the necessity of an MSP guarantee law.
