As agitating farmers resumed their 'Delhi Chalo' march on February 21, Union agriculture minister, Arjun Munda, invited farmer groups for a fifth round of talks, stating that "the government is ready to discuss all the issues."
"After the fourth round, the government is ready to discuss all the issues including MSP demand, crop diversification, stubble issue, and FIRs in the fifth round. I again invite the farmer leaders for discussion. It is important for us to maintain peace (sic)," Munda noted on microblogging site X.
Meanwhile, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said the protesting farmers camping at the border points between Punjab and Haryana will peacefully march towards Delhi on February 21. He also condemned the Centre for setting up multi-layered barricades at the border points to prevent farmers from heading towards the national capital.
Also Read | Farmers' protest standoff: Why agitators turned down Centre's MSP proposal
Meanwhile, addressing the press, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government has taken significant steps to help farmers. "Farmers' progress is our priority and will continue to remain so," reiterated Prasad.
However, the protesting farmers, who have been pressing the Union government to accept their demands such as a legal guarantee on the MSP, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, and farm debt waiver, were not impressed.
The farmers are led by two umbrella bodies - the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) - representing 200 unions.
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