Centre seeks representation from Kisan Morcha to decide MSP for crops

New Delhi: A day after the three contentious farm laws were repealed by the Parliament, the Centre has sought five names from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) in order to constitute a committee for discussion on MSP for crops and other related matters.

This was part of back-channel talks between the Centre and the farmers' union spearheading the ongoing agitation, said sources.

Farmer leader Mr Darshan Pal said the Centre has asked for five names from the SKM for the committee which will deliberate on the issue of MSP for crops. "We have not yet decided on the names. But we will decide this at our December 4 meeting."

But a number of other farmers' leaders had said there was no official word from any government or political functionary.

After making the announcement on November 19 that his government had decided to repeal the three farm laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said a committee comprising representatives of the Centre, state governments, farmers, agriculture scientists and agriculture economists would be formed to discuss how Minimum Support Price (MSP) can be made more effective, how zero budget farming can be promoted, and how crop patterns can be changed in a scientific manner.

However, the SKM had declared that day that they would wait for the laws to be formally repealed and the government gave a legal standing to MSP.

The farmers had also announced to continue their agitation till all their demands - apart from the main demand of repeal of the three laws - are met. Those demands included withdrawal of cases against all the farmers lodged during the time of the one year plus agitation.

Meanwhile, the SKM has clarified that all its constituent organisations will take stock of the situation and take decisions about the next steps in the farmers' struggle on December 4, as announced earlier.

"The date of this SKM meeting remains unchanged. This meeting will take place at the Singhu Border. In this meeting, there will be discussion on the various points raised in the letter to the Prime Minister and future decisions will be taken," a statement from the SKM said.

It maintained that vague statements here and there as a response to the pending demands of protesting farmers are not an acceptable response or assurance from BJP governments, and that it sought solid assurances on, and concrete solutions to their pending demands.