Farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march on 'standby' till Feb 21 as Centre offers MSP proposal

AMBALA (Haryana): The farmer leaders said that the 'Delhi Chalo' march has been put on 'standby' as the central government has given a proposal on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) during the fourth round of talks. The farmer leaders said that they will hold discussions on the government's proposal on MSP and the march will resume 'peacefully' on February 21.

"So we will review this proposal with all our colleagues, some agricultural experts and other legal experts and then we will be able to decide what to do about it. So today we will go and have a similar discussion with our colleagues. As far as our decision to go to Delhi was concerned, it is on standby right now, we have said that today it is the 19th and on the 21st at 11 am, we will move forward peacefully," Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary, of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee said while speaking to ANI on Monday.

"In the meantime, we would like to make every effort from our side to put our point before the Centre today, its medium can be anything, then in these two days, yesterday the minister also said that there are still some things, so we will also go to Delhi and discuss with them," the farmer leader said.

The protesting farmers are camping on the Shambhu Border near the Ambala.

Tractors, trolleys and trucks in large numbers were seen lined up on the border as the protests have been put on hold.

The government has ramped up heavy security at both Shambhu Border and Gazipur Border with multi-layer barricading resisting the agitating farmers from entering the national capital.

Reportedly, hundreds of farmers, a few journalists and police personnel have been injured during the protestors and security forces showdown.

Earlier, Union Minister Piyush Goyal asserted that they had a very positive and extensive discussion with representatives of farmers. "With new ideas and thoughts, we had a positive discussion with the Bhartiya Kisan Mazdoor Union and other farmer leaders. We had a detailed discussion on how to carry forward the work done by PM Modi in the last 10 years," he said.

The union ministers and farmer leaders had met earlier on February 8, 12 and 15 but talks remained inconclusive. The agitating farmers from Punjab have raised various demands including an ordinance on ensuring legal guarantees for MSPs and loan waivers.

The non-political Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have given a 'Delhi Chalo' call, urging the BJP-led Centre to accede to their demands. Commencing their march to the national capital on February 13, farmers from Punjab faced hindrance from security personnel at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points, situated between Punjab and Haryana.