Farmers want new law on MSP in 4th round talks

A group of more than 34 farmer leaders on Thursday demanded the framing of a specific law on Minimum Support Price (MSP) during the fourth round of talks with the Central government.The farmer union representatives emphasised that the law must guarantee them MSP not only now but in the future as well.The demand comes two hours after the ongoing meeting which started around 12.30 p.m. at Vigyan Bhawan in presence of the Centre's representatives: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal.The Bharatiya Kisan Union, the Bharatiya Kisan Sanyukta Morcha and the Krantikari Kisan Union are among the more than 34 farm union representatives who put the demand before the Centre to call a special session of Parliament and frame a law on MSP.The farm unions were also reportedly adamant on demanding the government repealing its three farm laws enacted in September during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. They have also put some other demands on behalf of thousands of farmers owing allegiance to these organisations, huddled under the open sky in the cold winter, refusing to budge until their demands are met.The meeting, which is expected to play a major role in farmers' future course of action on whether they would continue the protest or withdraw it, is crucial as many of the farmers' demands would lead to new challenges for the government whose focus is to end the farmers' agitation going on since November 26. Thousands of protesters have blocked five Delhi borders connecting Chandigarh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh crippling the chain of supply to the national capital.The meeting is also being attended by Union Minister of State for Commerce Som Prakash and Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal.The Singhu and Tikri borders, as well as Chilla and Ghazipur borders have now been hosting these multitudes for over a week. Hundreds of farmers have almost blocked entry and exit out of the national Capital.The fourth round of meetings with the farmer leaders started at Vigyan Bhawan after the earlier talks remained inconclusive on December 1.In the last meeting, the farmers' representatives had unanimously turned down the Centre's proposal of a special committee to thrash out the differences and resolve concerns over the farm laws..The farmers though have hardened their stance, warning that if on Thursday "the last chance" for the government to take a decision on the laws, was not taken, the stir could intensify further.Earlier, the protesting farmers on Wednesday demanded the Central government to convene a special session of Parliament to repeal the three farm laws, besides threatening to hold a nationwide protest on December 5.Addressing a press conference at the Delhi-Haryana border in Singhu, Darshan Pal, President of the Krantikari Kisan Union, said, "We will observe December 3, when the Bhopal gas tragedy took place several decades ago, as anti-corporate day. On December 5, we will protest against the Modi government and the corporate houses and burn their effigies."The meeting between the government and the farmer representative began after a detailed discussion among the Home Minister, Agriculture Minister and the Consumer Affairs Minister at the Home Minister's residence.The government is still holding on to its stance of not rolling back the three farm laws which farmers allege are "anti-farm" and "black laws".The three laws are: Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.The farmers have been sitting on protest for the last eight days at Delhi-Haryana and Delhi-Uttar Pradesh borders. Thousands of farmers have been camping at the Singhu border, while several other groups have blocked the entry at the Delhi-Haryana border in Tikri, the Delhi-UP Ghazipur border and the Delhi-UP Chilla border.(With inputs from IANS)

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