The Centre led by PM Narendra Modi has not been ready even for talk with agitating farmers, though they have been on sit-in protest on Khanauri and Shambhu borders since February 13, after their way to Delhi March was blocked by BJP ruled Haryana. When the farmer leader Dallewal completed 50 days on fast-unto-death without being successful in opening the door of the Centre for a talk, 111 farmers came forward to join the fast-unto-death on January 15, 2025, turning the scene at Khanauri border very pathetic. Two days after, they were later joined on January by 10 more farmers, this time from Haryana on fast-unto-death. It worked, and the Centre finally agreed for talk.

Farmer leaders consider it only a step forward. “It is not a big victory for us, but we were successful in getting a shut door open,” said a farmer leader from Punjab Kaka Singh Kotra on Centre’s invite. Joint Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Priya Ranjan had met Dallewal on Saturday, January 18, and invited him for talks on February 14 at Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Chandigarh and hoped Dallewal “ends his fast and participate in the talks.”

Farmer leaders had demanded for early date for talk, but the officials told them that ministers and officers had been deputed for the Republic Day functions on January 26, and the model code of conduct for Delhi elections are in force until February 9. Farmer leaders agreed for first round of talk in Chandigarh, but has demanded next round meetings in Delhi.

Nevertheless, farmers’ unions are getting themselves ready for another round of intense agitation to press on their demands, chiefly for legal guarantee for MSP for their crops. They have decided to march for Delhi for the fourth time since December 6, 2024, from Shambu border on January 21. A group of 101 farmers are getting ready for that. They are also preparing for their January 26 tractor march to Delhi.

This is the second leg of farmers movement since February 13, 2024 on the joint call from Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM)(non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM). Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and umbrella organization of hundreds of farmers unions, which led the first leg of farmers’ agitation in 2020-21 resulting in withdrawal of the three controversial farm laws by PM Narendra Modi, has welcomed the Union government’s proposal of talks with farmers as a great victory. SKM said in a statement that the government was forced to hold discussions due to the farmers’ growing unity. “The continuous efforts made by SKM leaders for farmers’ unity and pan-India agitation against the anti-farmer union government has forced the Govt. to retract from its divisive strategy, it said in a statement.

SKM has also called upon all farmers to “respond and rise in protest” against the Union government and force it to “roll back its anti-farmer policies” adding that the National Policy Framework on Agriculture Marketing (NPFAM) is a new attempt to bring back the repealed controversial farm laws. They are preparing for their tractor rallies on January 26, while their general body meeting will be held in New Delhi on January 24.

In the meantime, farmers leader Dallewal has made it clear that he would continue his fast-unto-death until the farmers’ demands, including the legal guarantee for MSP were met. Four rounds of talks between Centre and agitating farmers in February 2024 had not yielded any agreement. Since then, the Centre was unwilling for any further talk.

Though the Centre has invited the farmers leaders for talks on February 14, but no great hope is generated among farm leaders, about the real intention of the Union Government, that has can lead to their resolution of next round of agitation. Both the SKM, and SKM (non-political) have already decided to jointly protest against the Centre’s new draft NPFAM, alleging that Modi government has been trying to bring the repealed controversial farm laws through this policy. They said that the centre is planning to transfer control of agricultural land, farming, the food supply chain and national food security to a few corporate entities.

In the power corridor of New Delhi, officials are preparing themselves altogether skipping the issue of “legal guarantee to MSP” but to focus on “assuring MSP benefit” to maximum number of farmers across the country on the line of the draft NPFAM. Talks may focus on strengthening procurement mechanism.

An inter-ministerial team will talk to various groups of farmers to establish a “unified national market for agricultural produce” through bringing all states on board, as envisaged by the draft NPFAM, which has already been rejected by farmers unions and the Government of Punjab.

Assurance given to the agitating farmers by the Union Government in December 2021, was only “to find a way to ensure MSP for farmers across the country” and therefore the Centre is getting itself ready for this only, but not for the “legal guaranty for MSP” which is the chief demand of farmers.

Centre is also waiting for the report of the five-member committee constituted by the Supreme Court in September 2024, which have been talking to SKM (non-political) and KMM for a solution to the problem. It should be noted that Dallewal had originally given the proposal that he would take medical help during his fast-unto-death if Centre would be ready for a talk. Later other farmers who joined the fast-unto-death had also promised to end their hunger strike on the same condition. (IPA Service)