Protesting farmers defer Jan 21 march to Delhi; ask Centre to hold talks soon

Chandigarh, Jan 20 Protesting farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Monday announced the postponement of the January 21 foot march, by 101 farmers to Delhi, urging the Central government to hold talks soon over their demands of a guarantee law for a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce.

“It’s not a condition but a request,” the convener of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, told the media at Shambhu, the border between Punjab and Haryana, urging the Centre to hold a meeting in Delhi before February 14, instead of Chandigarh, as initially proposed.

“We had earlier announced that a ‘jatha’ of 101 farmers will move towards Delhi on January 21. We discussed this and both forums have decided to postpone it till January 26 to give more time to the government.

“We will take further decisions on January 26… It’s not our condition but a request to the government to call the meeting at the earliest in New Delhi as it’s a matter concerning the farmers and their protest,” he said.

Earlier, Pandher said the farmers would march to Delhi and accused the Central government of trying to create division among the growers.

Despite the Centre’s proposal for talks, fasting farmers’ leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has announced to continue his hunger strike until an MSP guarantee law is enacted.

Though he accepted medical assistance late on Saturday night, his health remains critical.

Medical experts have expressed concern as the hunger strike by Dallewal, a cancer patient who has been on hunger strike since November 26, has completed 56 days.

The 121 protesting farmers, comprising 10 from Haryana, ended their fast-unto-death on Sunday after the Central government agreed on Saturday to hold a meeting with farmers’ forums in Chandigarh to discuss their demands.

The farmers had been fasting in solidarity with 70-year-old Dallewal.

A delegation of officials from the Union agriculture ministry, led by Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan, met Dallewal on Saturday evening 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 past 11 months.

Security forces used tear gas shells as protesting farmers thrice attempted to march towards Delhi at Shambhu border.

Shambhu, the crossing point near Ambala on National Highway-1, became the flashpoint of the farmers’ protest for nearly a year.