Farm leader: Prime Minister should talk to three Union Ministers to resolve the demands of farmers
Ahead of a meeting with a panel at the Centre, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Thursday said the Prime Minister should talk to the three visiting Union ministers to resolve farmers’ issues.
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai will meet farmer leaders here at 5 pm on their various demands including making a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) for crops. , Addressing the media at Shambhu border, General Secretary of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti, Pandher said that the demands of the protesting farmers should be accepted.
He said, “We want the Prime Minister himself to talk to the delegation (of Union ministers) coming (for the meeting) and resolve the demands of the farmers.” The farmer leader said, “We want our demands to be met.” “Either accept our demands or allow us to hold peaceful protests,” he said.
Referring to the action against farmers by security personnel deployed by Haryana authorities at the Punjab-Haryana border, Pandher criticized the paramilitary force personnel for using “force” against the farmers, leaving many injured.
They also showed some tear gas shells.
Pandher claimed that the paramilitary force allegedly used smoke cell air burst and smoke cell ground burst against the farmers. He said that despite the use of force against the farmers, the farmer leaders are going to hold talks with three Union ministers on Thursday.
Referring to the suspension of mobile internet services, Pandher alleged that the government “wants to crush us (farmers) like Manipur is what we are seeing”.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are leading the ‘Delhi Chalo’ movement to put pressure on the Center for their demands, including a law on MSP for crops and loan waiver. Farmers from Punjab have gathered at Shambhu and Khanauri borders as part of their ‘Delhi Chalo’ call.
Apart from legal guarantee for MSP, farmers also want implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm loan waiver, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for victims of Lakhimpur Kheri violence, restitution of land Are also demanding. Acquisition Act 2013, withdrawal from WTO, compensation to families of farmers killed during the previous agitation.
