CHANDIGARH: Farmer leaders part of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation on Monday said they would discuss the government proposal on buying pulses, maize and cotton at MSP but the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which spearheaded the 2020-21 stir, rejected the offer.
In the fourth round of talks with farmer leaders, the Union ministers proposed buying pulses, maize and cotton crops at minimum support prices for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said they would discuss the proposal but would not budge from the demand for a law guaranteeing MSP.
However, the SKM said the proposal seeks to “divert and dilute” the demand for MSP and would not accept anything less than the ‘C-2 plus 50%’ formula for MSP as recommended in the Swaminathan Commission report. Farmers are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and labourers, debt waiver, no hike in power tariff, police case withdrawal, etc.