Convene Parliament for a day to enact MSP law: Farmers

February 20, 2024 17:37

Pic: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday said the Centre should convene a daylong Parliament session to bring a legislation on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, a key demand of protesting farmers.

He also asked the Centre to accept the other main demands of the farmers, including farm loan waiver.

Pandher's statement came a day after the farmer leaders taking part in the "Delhi Chalo" agitation rejected the BJP-led Centre's proposal for procuring pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in favour of farmers.

In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the "Delhi Chalo" march.

Talking to reporters at the Shambhu border point between Punjab and Haryana, Pandher, who represents the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, said, "We demand that a law to guarantee the MSP be brought. If the prime minister has the willpower, a daylong session of Parliament can be convened. No opposition party will oppose it."

"I demand that all opposition parties make their stand clear that if the Centre brings a law on the MSP, they will vote for it. Be it the Shiromani Akali Dal or the Congress -- they should make their stand clear. The Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, and other parties should also make their stand clear," he added.

Pandher said farmers have three big demands -- a legal guarantee on the MSP for all crops, the implementation of the "C2 plus 50 per cent" formula as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission and loan waiver.

He said at the meeting with Union ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai, the farmers proposed that a law on the MSP be enacted by convening a special session of Parliament.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Passing the torch to new generation: Biden in Oval Office address

Telling his fellow countrymen that America is at an inflection point, US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he has decided that the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.

MP principal booked for preventing Sanskrit 'shloka' in school

The principal said that particular day was reserved for "speaking in English only" and that is why the students were stopped, the sources said, quoting her.

Olympics Archery: Ankita 11th in individual, women's team through to quarters

Debutant Ankita Bhakat left behind seasoned campaigners like Deepika Kumar to emerge as the best-placed Indian archer at 11th in the women's individual recurve qualification.

Rashtrapati Bhavan's Durbar Hall, Ashok Hall will now be called...

Venues for different ceremonial functions, Rashtrapati Bhavan's iconic 'Durbar Hall' and 'Ashok Hall' were on Thursday renamed 'Ganatantra Mandap' and 'Ashok Mandap', respectively.

4 killed in rain havoc in Pune; Army, NDRF called in

The IMD issued a 'red alert' for Pune district and asked people to take precautions.