Chandigarh, Jan 19 :The Centre will hold a meeting with Punjab’s protesting farmers on February 14 in Chandigarh to discuss their demands, thus ending a stalemate over the resumption of a dialogue with the protesters, who have been demanding a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops.
Following the announcement of the proposed meeting, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered the 54th day on Saturday, agreed to take medical aid.
However, he will not end his indefinite fast till a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops is given, said farmer leader Sukhjit Singh Hardojhande.
Dallewal, however, will continue his fast as he will not partake in any meals till the farmers’ demands are met. A decision to end the fast of 121 farmers will be taken on Sunday.
The reason cited for the delayed talks date is the model code of conduct being in force in Delhi till February 9 which bars any announcement, and then the budget session starts. The long gap will also ensure that Dallewal can participate in the meeting.
It was stated that saving the life of Dallewal was most important to prevent the situation from going out of hand as his deteriorating condition was triggering an emotional outpouring among farmers.
It was said that Dallewal had been vomiting regularly for the last 72 hours, and worse was expected. It was against this backdrop that farmers gave their consent to Dallewal accepting medical intervention by a show of hands and made it plain that if he did not accept the appeal all of them would assemble outside his trolley and go on fast.
The breakthrough came after a delegation of officials from the Union Agriculture Ministry, led by Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan, met Dallewal and held a meeting with the representatives of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, which are spearheading the agitation for the last 11 months.
Following the announcement of the meeting on February 14, farmer leaders appealed to Dallewal to take medical aid so that he could participate in the proposed deliberations.
The Centre’s delegation also urged Dallewal to take medical aid so that he can participate in the proposed meeting, which will take place at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Chandigarh at 5 p.m. on February 14.
Talking to reporters at the Khanauri protest site, Ranjan said a high-level delegation was sent by the Centre, keeping in mind the deteriorating health of Dallewal.
“We enquired about his health and held a meeting with the representatives (of the protesting farmer bodies),” he said.
Ranjan said the meeting will be held in Chandigarh on February 14.
“We urged him (Dallewal) to break his fast and take medical aid so that he can participate in the meeting,” he added.
–IANS