Talks between farmer leaders, Centre remain inconclusive; next meeting on May 4
Chandigarh, Mar 19 (PTI): A fresh round of meeting between farmer leaders and a central delegation to discuss the formers' various demands remained inconclusive on Wednesday, even as the Union ministers attending the talks called the farmers' interests paramount.
During the meeting that lasted for more than three hours, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the talks would continue and the next meeting will be held on May 4.
"The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere. The discussions took place in a positive and constructive manner. The talks will continue. The next meeting will take place on May 4," Chouhan said after the meeting.
However, he did not take any questions from the media.
The discussions revolved around the main demand for a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
The farmer leaders insisted that there would be no problem in implementing a law guaranteeing MSP (for crops).
They also raised the issue of some media reports suggesting that the US government was pressuring the government of India to remove import duty on agricultural products.
Besides Chouhan, Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal were also present at the meeting held at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26 here.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian and Food and Civil Supplies minister Lal Chand Kataruchak were also part of the meeting.
It was the seventh round of talks between the two sides since February last year.
Addressing the farmers, Chouhan reiterated the government's commitment to their welfare and recalled how it continued to make regular policy interventions to address the issues being faced by farmers across the country.
An official release said that various legal, economic and other dimensions of the farmers' demands were explored and highlighted during the meeting.
Based on the discussions, the government has decided to hold stakeholder consultations with farmer organisations across the country, as well as with the states and Union Territories, traders, exporters and the food processing industry, the statement said.
It has been decided to continue the talks in a positive spirit after the stakeholder consultations, it added.
The ministers assured the farmers that the government will continue to pay a patient ear to their concerns and those of the other stakeholders and act in the interest of the farmers.
"The interest of the farmers is paramount," the ministers assured the farmer leaders.
They also appealed to the farmer community to adopt the path of dialogue rather than protest, noting that solutions will emerge only from dialogues and discussions.
Speaking to the media, Punjab Finance Minister Cheema said the central ministers stressed that there was a need to study the data shared by the farmers in support of their demand for an MSP guarantee law.
"As in the last meeting, the farmers shared data in support of their demand for legal guarantee of MSP. The central ministers said there is a need for more study on this. As the law will be framed for the whole country, it is important to listen to the views of all the stakeholders.
"An official of the government of India has been assigned for this. In the coming time, views of all the stakeholders -- consumers, traders or organisations -- will be heard," Cheema said.
Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said Chouhan told them that the information shared by the farmers were discussed within the agriculture ministry.
The central delegation informed the farmers that some issues or problems may come up in the MSP guarantee law, while the farmer leaders made it clear that there would be no obstacles in the implementation of the same, Kohar said.
"They said some issues may come up and for a detailed discussion on those issues, the government needs some time. The government also said it wants to hold an inter-ministerial discussion. They will again sit with us after that," Kohar added.
The farmer leaders also asked the central delegation not to succumb to any pressure from the US for reducing import duty on agricultural items.
"We made it clear that if import duty on agricultural products was removed, it will be a death warrant for the farmers," Kohar said.
"It is the responsibility of the government of India to protect the interests of the farmers," he added.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, "They (the government) said if an MSP guarantee law is framed, some problems may come up. But we don't feel so. The government also said it wants to continue the talks."
Ahead of the talks, Pandher said a 28-member delegation of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha will take part in the meeting.
The two farmer bodies are spearheading the farmers' stir.
Stating that the farmers expected the government to resolve their issues, Pandher said, "We have come here with a positive mind. Some decisions should come out after the meeting. We expect that the deadlock over a law guaranteeing MSP will end and the talks will move forward."
Earlier, veteran farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal reached the meeting venue in an ambulance.
Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite fast since November 26 last year and is on medical aid, said they were expecting a response from the Centre on the data presented by the farmers to support their demands.
The last meeting between the farmers and the central delegation was held here on February 22, which was attended by Chouhan, Joshi, and Goyal.
A meeting between a central team led by Joshi and farmers' representatives was held here on February 14 as well.
Before that, four rounds of talks took place between central ministers and protesting farmers in February 2024, but they remained inconclusive.
The protesting farmers have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, after security forces did not allow them to march to Delhi to press their demands.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
