NEW DELHI: As the
agitation
by
farmers
entered an intense phase along the Punjab-Haryana border, the Centre on Wednesday invited their leaders for a fifth round of
talks
to discuss all their demands, including the ones on minimum support price (MSP), and appealed to them to maintain peace.
“We are ready to discuss all the issues, be it MSP or crop diversification.
We can find a solution only through dialogue. I have invited them for the discussion and appealed to them to maintain peace and find a solution that is good for everyone,” said agriculture minister Arjun Munda.
Though govt side, during the fourth round of talks, offered to have a five-year contract with farmers to procure maize, cotton and pulses (tur, masoor and urad) at MSP, unions rejected it saying it’s an attempt by the Centre to dilute their key demand of legal guarantee to procure all crops at MSP.
Seeking to remain engaged with protesting farmers to find a solution to the current crisis, Munda, however, emphasised that the govt side was keen to discuss all issues including those related to MSP, crop diversification, stubble burning issue (no penalty for biomass burning) and FIR registered against agitating farmers.
BJP too, on Wednesday, advocated for a solution through discussions. “We appeal that solution should come out peacefully… Our govt has done so much work for farmers. Farmers’ progress is our priority and will continue to remain so,” said senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Referring to govt’s proposal at the fourth round of talks on Sunday-Monday, Prasad wondered why the farmer leaders rejected the offer? “The party (BJP) is very sensitive towards farmers’ issues. Ministers are talking to them. Several rounds of talks have taken place. Let this continue,” said Prasad.
