Farmers Protest: Following a meeting with Union and Punjab ministers, farmer leaders announced on Monday their rejection of the Centre’s proposal to offer Minimum Support Price (MSP) on three pulses, maize, and cotton. They declared their intention to commence the ‘Dilli Chalo’ march at 11 am on Wednesday.
Sarvan Singh Pandher, the general secretary of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, said, “We are marching towards Delhi. Our right to protest should be respected. We have the right to agitate and there is no need for further meetings. The government must act now. Enough discussions have been held.”
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Pandher also asked the government to open the Haryana-Punjab borders for them to move.
Pandher also appealed to the government to either accede to their demands or allow them to proceed to Delhi peacefully.
Expressing reluctance to breach barricades, he lamented the government’s lack of responsiveness.
“We strive to avoid harm to anyone. On one side are our youth, on the other are our soldiers. We do not wish to see any loss of life. However, this government refuses to heed us. Do they have the right to be in the government?” he questioned.
He also criticized the government’s sincerity, labelling their intentions as ‘questionable’. “During the meeting, union ministers insisted that the proposal applied to all farmers nationwide. Yet, afterward, they claimed that only farmers who shift from paddy cultivation would receive MSP for pulses, maize, and cotton,” Pandher remarked.
Jagjit Singh Dallewal, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur), said that after thorough discussion and analysis of the proposal, they concluded it offered no benefit to farmers. “Both forums have unanimously agreed that this proposal does not favour the farmers. We maintain our demand for MSP on all 23 crops,” he said.
