In a significant development amid the ongoing farmers’ protest, the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) has urged the central government to hold its proposed meeting with protesting farmers earlier than the scheduled date of February 14. The farmers’ group, which has been leading protests at Khanauri and Shambhu border points for the past 11 months, also announced the deferment of their January 21 march to Delhi, now planned for January 26.
The KMM’s demand for an early meeting follows a high-level delegation from the central government, led by Priya Ranjan, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, who met KMM and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) representatives at Khanauri border on Saturday. During the meeting, the government proposed the February 14 date for talks at Chandigarh. However, the KMM leaders have expressed dissatisfaction with the timeline, arguing that the meeting should be held sooner and preferably in Delhi.
Sarwan Singh Pandher, a prominent KMM leader, addressed the media at the Shambhu protest site, emphasizing that the February 14 date was too far. He questioned the logic behind waiting until after the Delhi Assembly elections, as the government had already made significant announcements, such as the formation of the 8th Pay Commission, without objections from the Election Commission.
“Why should the farmers’ talks be delayed when such big decisions can be made? The government must prioritize this issue and convene the meeting earlier,” Pandher remarked. Farmer leader M S Rai echoed these sentiments, calling the February 14 meeting date “quite late,” and stressing the need for a quicker resolution to the farmers’ demands.
Meanwhile, KMM leaders made an emotional appeal to Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a key farmer leader who has been on an indefinite hunger strike since November 26 last year in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support prices for crops. Despite receiving medical aid, Dallewal has refused to end his fast, but KMM leaders have urged him to resume eating for the sake of his health and to lead the fight with full strength.
“We need to intensify our struggle, and for that, Dallewal must be healthy and able to lead us. We urge him to end his fast so that we can move forward together,” Pandher said.
The KMM also postponed the planned January 21 march, in which 101 farmers were set to walk to Delhi from the Shambhu border. The new date for the march is January 26, coinciding with a nationwide tractor rally planned by the farmers. On that day, farmers will park their tractors outside BJP offices, major shopping malls, and silos from 12 pm to 1:30 pm.
The farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, 2022, after the government deployed security forces to prevent their march to Delhi in protest against various agricultural policies. The ongoing protests reflect their deep dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of issues affecting their livelihoods, particularly the lack of a legal guarantee for MSP.
As the protest continues, all eyes will be on the government’s response to the farmers’ call for an earlier meeting and their demand for immediate resolutions.
Sources By Agencies
