Farmers Protest Day 6 Highlights: Fourth rounds of talks today, internet services suspended in several areas of Punjab

Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda, and Nityanand Rai departed from Delhi airport for Chandigarh to engage in discussions with farmer leaders regarding the ongoing protest.

Farm leaders, representing groups such as the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, who organized the “Delhi Chalo” march, are scheduled to meet Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in Chandigarh, the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana.

For the second consecutive day, the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) continued their protests at toll plazas across Punjab. As a result, toll authorities were compelled to refrain from charging commuters.

In Kurukshetra, Haryana, a panchayat convened with the participation of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni and various Khaps. Their aim was to strategize and outline a plan of action to extend support to the protesting farmers from Punjab.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the suspension of internet services in specific areas of several districts in Punjab, such as Patiala, Sangrur, and Fatehgarh Sahib, until February 24.

“Having conveyed our demands, thorough deliberations have ensued on each issue throughout the three rounds of discussions between the government and farmers. It is now imperative for the central government to make a decision. The responsibility rests with them, and the entire nation awaits their response,” Sarwan Singh Pandher says ahead of the fourth round of talks between the government and farmers.

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, speaking at a press conference, proposed that solutions could be attained simply by enacting a single ordinance guaranteeing MSP and issuing a notification on the recommendations of the Dr. Swaminathan Commission.

BJP leader and former Sirsa MP Ashok Tanwar speaks over the farmers’ protest.

“There should be no politicization of farmers’ issues. Over the past decade, PM Modi’s government has prioritized the welfare of farmers through its actions. I am optimistic that their concerns will be addressed expeditiously. Additionally, I believe that our support for farmers will contribute to our success, aiming to secure over 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” he says.

Iqbal Singh Lalpura, the chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, commented on the farmers’ protest, stating, “We are engaged in dialogue with them (farmers). The outcome remains to be seen. We approach the situation with a positive outlook.”

Key demands by farmers include:

-Legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

-Implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations.

-Loan waiver.

–Pension for farmers and farm labourers.

-Withdrawal of police cases against protesters.

-Justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

-Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act-2013.

-Compensation for families of farmers who died during previous agitations in 2020-21. Read an explainer over the key demands of Farmers protest 2.0.

On Saturday, the Haryana government announced the extension of the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts for an additional two days, effective until February 19.

Leaders representing farmer groups, such as the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, who initiated the march, are scheduled to convene with Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai at 6 pm on Sunday in Chandigarh, the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana.

Heavy security deployment at Singhu border as farmers protest enter sixth day today.

Sarvan Singh Pandher, the General Secretary of the Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, stated, “We are now in our sixth day at the Shambhu border. Today, discussions with the government are also scheduled. The government has requested some time and expressed its intention to engage in dialogue with union ministers to address the issue and seek a resolution.”

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