Panel of 3 Union ministers hold talks with farmer leaders in Chandigarh

A panel of three Union ministers held a meeting with protesting farmer leaders in Chandigarh on Thursday for another round of talks amid the ongoing standoff between the agitators and security personnel at the Punjab-Haryana border.

Meanwhile, there was no report of any clash between farmers and the Haryana security personnel at the two Punjab and Haryana border points — Shambhu and Khanauri — on Thursday.
 

Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai met the farmer leaders at 5 pm here over their various demands, including a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.

This is the third round of talks between the two sides; the previous two rounds of dialogue on 8 February and 12 February remained inconclusive.

Ahead of the meeting with a panel of the Centre, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Thursday said the Prime Minister should speak to the three Union ministers, visiting Chandigarh for talks, for the resolution of the farmers' issues.

Addressing the media at the Shambhu border point, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Pandher said protesting farmers' demands should be accepted.

"We want that the Prime Minister should himself speak to the deputation (of Union ministers) which is coming (for the meeting) and resolve the demands of farmers," he said.

"We want our demands to be accepted," Pandher said.

Either accept our demands or allow us to hold a peaceful protest, he further said.

Referring to an action against farmers by the security personnel deployed by the Haryana authorities at the Punjab-Haryana border, Pandher slammed the paramilitary personnel for using "force" against farmers, leaving many injured.

Farmers from Punjab are camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points seeking to march towards Delhi to press the Centre to accept their demands.

The farmer leaders have said they will not make any fresh attempt to move towards the national capital till the meeting is held, asserting that the next course of action will be decided on the basis of the Centre's proposals.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) and BKU Dakaunda (Dhaner) have announced 'rail roko' in the state on Thursday. Farmers also began their four-hour 'rail roko' stir squatting on rail tracks at some locations.

The decision was taken in protest against the hurling of tear gas shells and water cannons used against the protesting farmers by the Haryana security personnel at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points.

Hundreds of farmers have been camping at the two border points as part of their 'Dilli Chalo' call.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation to put pressure on the Centre for their demands, including a law on MSP, loan waivers, and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations.

The Haryana Police has sealed the border with barricades, stopping farmers from travelling to Delhi on their tractor-trolleys.

At the Shambhu border point near Ambala, there was intermittent shelling of tear gas by security personnel on Wednesday. It was used whenever any group of farmers moved towards the barricades.

Security personnel faced stone-pelting from the protesters.

A similar standoff continued at the Data Singhwala-Khanauri border point near Haryana's Jind district.