“If government doesn’t agree by February 21, Haryana too will join the agitation’: Gurnam Singh Charuni

Kurukshetra: After the Centre offered a proposal to the farmers that guarantees Minimum Support Prices (MSP) on pulses, maize and cotton, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni said on Monday that the government must add oil seeds and Bajra also under the MSP, warning that if Centre doesn’t agree by February 21, Haryana too will join the agitation.

“There is time until 21st February. The government should think and understand that these two things (Oilseeds and Bajra) are very important (for procurement). Just like they mentioned pulses, maize and cotton, they should include these two crops too. If these two are not included, we will have to think about it again because these are our important things which do not get sold. Today mustard is available in the market at Rs 4200, it is being sold at Rs 2000 less than the MSP,” he said.

“Yesterday, we decided that if the government doesn’t agree by 21st February, Haryana too will join the agitation,” he asserted.

Earlier, Union Minister Piyush Goyal asserted that they had a very positive and extensive discussion with representatives of farmers.

“With new ideas and thoughts, we had a positive discussion with the Bhartiya Kisan Mazdoor Union and other farmer leaders. We had a detailed discussion on how to carry forward the work done by PM Modi in the last 10 years,” he said.

Meanwhile, Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said that the government has given us a proposal, which will be supervised and managed by two government agencies.

“We will discuss the proposal by the government (on MSP) with our forums and experts and then, we will conclude...Our march (Delhi Chalo) will continue till the demands are met...Talks on several other demands need to be done,” Dallewal told ANI. “The government has given us a proposal, which guarantees MSP on pulses, maize and cotton, which will be supervised and managed by two government agencies,” says SKM (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal after the conclusion of the meeting between protesting farmer unions and Union Ministers in Chandigarh,” he added. The agitating farmers from Punjab have raised various demands including an ordinance on ensuring legal guarantees for MSPs and loan waivers. The two sides — ministers and farmer leaders — had met earlier on February 8, 12 and 15 but talks remained inconclusive.

The protesting farmers have been camping at the Shambhu border near Ambala since the start of the march on Tuesday, February 13. Talks between the union ministers and leaders of various farmers’ bodies remained inconclusive, with the fourth round of talks scheduled today. (ANI)

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