Farmers’ protest: Talks with the Center have not progressed; the next meeting is on Sunday

NEW DELHI: After three rounds of meetings in Chandigarh, Union ministers and farmer representatives were unable to reach a consensus, thus Sunday will be the day of the next round of negotiations.

Union minister Arjun Munda called the meeting “positive” and said, “Today, a very positive discussion happened between the government and the farmers’ unions.”
“Focusing on the topics highlighted by the farmers’ union, we have decided that the next meeting will take place on Sunday at 6pm” , he said.

The federal government was represented at the almost five-hour meeting by Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Arjun Munda as well as minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai. Bhagwant Mann, the chief minister of Punjab, was also present.
The farmer leaders and the center had their first meeting on February 8 and their second meeting on February 12.

After failed negotiations in the past, the farmers planned the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.
Twelve requests, including the adoption of legislation guaranteeing MSP for all crops, a total debt forgiveness, and a pension plan for farmers and agricultural workers, have been made to the central government by the protesting farmers.

Among other things, they want the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 to be reintroduced and the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 to be scrapped. Under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural job Guarantee Act (MNrega), the farmers are requesting increases in job prospects and pay as well as justice for the deaths that took place in Lakhimpur Kheri.

This protest comes after the anti-three-laws protests in 2020: The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act.