BKU stir: Govt accepts 7 of 9 farmers' demands, silent on waivers, MSP

BKU leaders on Tuesday said that their meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over farmers' demands was "satisfactory" and that seven of their nine demands were accepted, while the Centre was non-committal on loan waiver and higher MSP.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) is expected to take a decision on calling off its 10-day long protest after its Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday evening.

BKU General Secretary Yudhvir Singh led a 15-member delegation to meet the Home Minister at his official residence here, which was attended by Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Yudhvir Singh said their seven demands were accepted.

"However, the government is silent on our demand for loan waiver, saying that the states had to take a decision at their level. Also, it said that fixation of MSP (Minimum Support Price) based on 'C2' input factor as per the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations will be done in future," Singh said.

The government said that it had taken one step forward by announcing MSP based on 'A2 +FL' formula, Singh added.

Discussions were held to see how the demands can be met, said Shekhawat, who later proceeded to the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border to meet the protesting farmers who had clashed with police after they were denied entry to Delhi.

Talking to the media here, the farmer leader said that the government had admitted to "flaws" that created problems for farmers while selling their produce in markets and availing benefits under farm-related schemes.

He also condemned police lathicharge on protesting farmers on the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border.

"It is undemocratic. It is unprecedented. The government should not have lathicharged the farmers. Everyone has the right to express their views," Yudhvir Singh said.

The protest by thousands of farmers turned violent on the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border on Tuesday as they tried to break through barricades or run them over with tractors to enter the national capital, forcing police to use water cannons and tear gas to disperse them.