Farmers get draft copy from Centre on 6 demands, discuss it in meeting at Singhu border

Even as the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) was holding a meeting on Tuesday at the Singhu border to chalk out a future course of action, the Centre sent the agitating farmers a draft copy regarding their demands, which were discussed in the meeting.

According to sources, the government has replied to the six-point demand of the farmers.

The five-member committee, which is designated to hold talks with the Centre, also took part in the meeting.

Earlier, the SKM had said that the Centre had not sent any message for talks, and none of the farmer leaders associated with SKM had spoken to any government representative.

The SKM said that it was still waiting for a reply to the letter it had sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi listing their demands.

According to sources, the central government has given protesting farmers written assurance that their demands, which include guarantees for MSP, will be met. This comes as a hugely significant moment for an agitation that has been going on relentlessly for over 15 months, reported NDTV.

Sources also said that in its letter to farmer unions, the government said it would form a committee on MSP and that all police cases, including those to do with stubble burning, will be dropped.

The SKM has constituted a five-member committee comprising farmer leaders Ashok Dhawale, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Gurnam Singh Chaduni, Shiv Kumar 'Kakkaji' and Yudhvir Singh to hold talks with the Centre to resolve the long-pending demands made by the farmers' organisations.

After the repeal of the three contentious farm laws, the SKM has demanded a legal guarantee by the Union government on Minimum Support Price (MSP), withdrawal of Electricity Amendment Bill, removal of the penalty section from the Air Pollution Bill, arrest and removal of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Misra Teni, dismissal of 'fake' cases registered against the farmers, rehabilitation of the kin of martyred farmers, and a memorial for the martyred farmers.

The farmers have made it clear that their protest will continue till their demands are accepted by the Centre.

(with inputs from IANS)