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Amid talks with Centre, KMM to call off Feb 25 ‘Delhi Chalo’ march
The KMM, one of the two unions leading the farmers’ protest, is reconsidering its protest strategy in light of ongoing discussions with the government.
The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) is likely to call off its scheduled ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on February 25 following the Union government’s invitation for a third round of talks on March 19.
The KMM, one of the two unions leading the farmers’ protest, is reconsidering its protest strategy in light of ongoing discussions with the government.
Farmer leaders told HT that they plan to suspend the march since the dialogue with the Union government is set to continue. However, they emphasised that other forms of protest would persist, with further announcements expected in the coming days.
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Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a fresh round of talks with farmer leaders in Chandigarh on Saturday to discuss the contentious issue of a guaranteed minimum support price (MSP), among other demands. The next round of discussions will take place on March 19.
“As the Union government has invited us for another round of talks, we have decided not to attempt to cross over to the Haryana side. We will be organising several other protests before March 19,” a senior KMM official said.
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KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the next course of action regarding alternative protests would be announced on Monday after consultations with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political).
The outcome of these internal discussions will determine the future direction of the agitation, he added.
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The ongoing farmer protest began on February 13 last year to push for demands, including legal guarantees for minimum support price (MSP) and the withdrawal of cases against farmers from the previous agitation.
The government’s decision to hold a third round of talks signals an effort to address the issues and prevent further escalation. However, farmer leaders have made it clear that protests will continue if their demands remain unmet.
