Farmers protest highlights: 'Delhi chalo' march on hold after meeting with Centre

Farmers have put their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on hold after the meeting with the Centre on Sunday night. According to Piyush Goyal, the farmer leaders will decide on the proposals put forward by the government by Monday morning.

A panel of three Union ministers on Sunday proposed the buying of pulses, maize, and cotton crops by government agencies at minimum support prices for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers.

The fourth round of talks between the government and protesting farmers ended, with union minister Piyush Goyal saying the meeting was held in “cordial atmosphere”.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann also attended the meeting of Union ministers with farmer leaders at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Chandigarh.

Here is a video of the fourth round of talks between farmer leaders and Union ministers.

Fourth round of talks between Union ministers and farmer leaders has begun in Chandigarh.

Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda and Nityanand Rai have arrived at the meeting venue in Chandigarh where they will meet farmer leaders shortly, in connection with the ongoing protest, reported news agency ANI.

Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda and Nityanand Rai have arrived at a hotel in Chandigarh on Sunday.

They will meet farmer leaders shortly, in connection with the ongoing protest.

On Sunday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Hannan Mollah claimed that no protest is being held by SKM on the border of Delhi, rather, three-four organisations that separated from SKM after the movement in the year 2020 are agitating and taking their name.

"The government is holding the fourth round of talks with the farmers. Last time in the year 2020, when there was a farmers' movement, the government talked to us 11 times, but no solution was found. In these 11 meetings, the government used to call 42 people, and at that time, two of them separated. The government is calling two of them for a meeting today but not talking to the remaining 40 people with whom the government spoke during the last movement. In such a situation, it seems that the government has some purpose," Hannan Mollah told news agency ANI.

"We are continuously conveying our demands to the government. But right now, no protest is being held by SKM on the border of Delhi, rather, three-four organisations that separated from SKM after the movement in the year 2020 are agitating and taking our name. But this does not mean that we oppose the farmers; we support them, and all their demands should be fulfilled as soon as possible. They should be given their rights and no wrong should be done to the agitating farmers in any way," the CPI (M) leader added.

Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda and Nityanand Rai have left for Chandigarh from Delhi airport to meet farmer leaders in connection with the ongoing protest, reported news agency ANI.

Farmers' body Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called for a black flag protest against Members of Parliaments (MPs) of NDA on February 21.

On Farmers' 4th round of meeting with central government, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has expressed hope of a solution.

" I hope a solution comes out," said Kejriwal as quoted by news agency ANI.

Congress party leader Kumari Selja has hit out at the BJP by claiming that the UPA government implemented 175 of the 201 recommendations contained in the Swaminathan Commission report.

"They should know that the Congress government had implemented 175 out of 201 recommendations of the commission," said Selja as quoted by news agency PTI.

"In 2014, the BJP -- which came to power promising to provide C2 plus 50 per cent to farmers -- changed its promise upon forming the government at the Centre. Whereas, the Congress had already implemented 175 out of 201 recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission," she added.

Former Haryana CM and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda has asked the governmment to take a decision on MSP amid the ongoing farmers' protests.

" I hope they can find a solution. Govt must take a decision on MSP...," said Hooda as quoted by news agency ANI.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has said that the central government needs to take a decision, reported news agency PTI.

"We have sent them our demands and a detailed discussion has been held on every issue during the three rounds of talks (between government and farmers). They (central government) now need to take a decision. The ball is in their court and the whole country is looking towards them," says Pandher ahead of fourth round of talks between government and farmers.

Here is how Police have secured the Tikri border amid the ongoing farmers' protests.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Suri hailed the ongoing farmers' protest.

'I salute farmers' protest,' said Mamata as quoted by news agency PTI.

Haryana government has extended ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts till February 19 in view of the 'Delli Chalo' call given by farmers' organisations, reported news agency ANI.

According to a notification issued by the Haryana administration, bulk SMS and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except voice calls, will remain suspended in the jurisdiction of districts Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa.

Ahead of a meeting with a panel of Union ministers on Sunday, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has asked the central government to accept their demands before the model code of conduct for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections comes into force.

"We want to tell the government that it should avoid the policy of dilly-dallying," Dallewal told reporters at the Shambhu border point.

"If the government thinks it will continue to hold meetings till the code of conduct is imposed, and then say it cannot do anything as the code is in force"...farmers are not going to return", he said as quoted by news agency PTI.

"The government should find a solution to our demands before the code of conduct comes into force," Dallewal said.

The mobile internet services have temporarily suspended in seven districts in Punjab till February 24 midnight due to the farmers protests.

Vegetables and other commodities have seen a hike in prices due to the disruption of supply chain as farmers continue to block the borders.

A heavy deployment of security has been assigned at the Singhu border as farmers await the fourth round of talks with the government.

Underlining that the Modi government is fully cognizant of farmers’ issues, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Saturday said the ongoing talks between farmer leaders and the Centre will definitely lead to an "effective" redressal. "I am sure demands and issues raised by our farmers are of very serious nature and their resolution is necessary through understanding and dialogue,” Jakhar said in a statement here. (PTI)

“The SKM has decided to immediately intensify agitation and it shall be done with multiple calls for massive actions in coordination with workers and all other sections of the people,” said the Samyukta Kisan Morcha in a statement.