Central Government Holds Fresh Talks with Farmers, Next Meeting Scheduled for March 19 in Chandigarh

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Saturday that the latest round of discussions between the central government and protesting farmers was conducted in a cordial atmosphere, with the next round of talks scheduled for March 19 in Chandigarh. The meeting, held in the evening, focused on various demands raised by the farmers, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops.

Along with Chouhan, Union Ministers Prahlad Joshi and Piyush Goyal also participated in the discussions. Addressing the media after the meeting, Chouhan stated that the talks were held in a constructive environment, and the government emphasized the welfare schemes it has implemented for farmers, a key priority of the Narendra Modi-led government. The discussion, which lasted nearly three hours, saw active participation from farmer leaders Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher. Chouhan mentioned that the dialogue would continue, with the next session scheduled for March 19 in Chandigarh.

However, Chouhan refrained from responding to questions from the press. The meeting took place at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Public Administration, where Chouhan and Joshi arrived at 6:05 PM to meet a 28-member delegation of farmer representatives. Also present at the meeting were Punjab Cabinet Ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, and Lal Chand Kataruchak. Farmer leaders, including Dallewal and Pandher, had already gathered at the venue before the central delegation’s arrival.

After the discussions, the farmer representatives reiterated their demand for a legal guarantee on MSP, arguing that it was essential to safeguard farmers from financial distress. Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar asserted that if the government was sincere about its policies and intentions, it could easily allocate an estimated ₹25,000-30,000 crore annually to ensure MSP as a legally binding mechanism. Kohar further disclosed that the central team had requested a detailed analysis of the data presented by the farmers regarding the economic feasibility of MSP. The farmers assured that they would provide the requested information within a week.

Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), stressed that legally guaranteeing MSP would significantly reduce farmer suicides by providing them with assured pricing for their crops. He emphasized that when farmers and laborers receive fair prices, their purchasing power increases, ultimately benefiting the overall economy. During the discussions, the farmer representatives questioned the government’s reluctance to provide a legal guarantee for MSP.

Importantly, Pandher pointed out that the government did not outright reject the possibility of enacting a law on MSP. Instead, the ministers conveyed that such a significant decision would require further deliberations before any concrete steps could be taken.

Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a 70-year-old farmer leader, has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana since November 26, 2024, to push for the acceptance of the farmers’ demands. Thousands of farmers under the banners of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13, 2024. These farmers were stopped by security forces from marching to Delhi to press for their various demands, including legal backing for MSP.

The ongoing protests and discussions mark a critical phase in the farmer-government dialogue, with the upcoming March 19 meeting in Chandigarh expected to play a key role in determining the future course of action.

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