Will 4th round of talks bear fruit? Protesting farmers hope for good news on MSP ordinance

After three rounds of talks failed to reach a consensus, the fourth round of discussions between farmer leaders and the Centre will be held on Sunday. Union ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai will meet leaders of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha to discuss the demands, including Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarvan Singh Pandher said the government asked for time to discuss their demands. "It is our 6th day at the Shambhu border. Today, we are holding talks with the Union Ministers. The government has asked for some time and said the matter will be discussed before arriving at a solution," Pandher told ANI.

Pandher also expressed hope that the farmers will get "good news" after Sunday's meeting with the Centre. "Now the ball is in the government's court," he said.

On Saturday, the farmer leaders reiterated their demand for an ordinance on giving a legal guarantee to MSP. Pandher told reporters from the Shambhu border that the Centre has a right to make "political" decisions. "If the government wants resolution of farmers' protest, then it should bring an ordinance with an immediate effect that it will enact a law on MSP, then discussion can proceed further." "It (Centre) can bring the ordinance overnight if it wants to," he added.

Speaking to reporters at the Shambhu border, Pandher said as far as the issue of modalities is concerned, any ordinance has a six-month validity.

As far as the demand for "C2 plus 50 per cent" as per the Swaminathan Commission's recommendation goes, Pandher said that the government was giving a price according to "A2 plus FL" formula. "Under the same formula, an ordinance can be brought," he said.

"The whole country is looking to the powerful Prime Minister to gather up the courage and take a decision on an ordinance on legal guarantee to MSP and debt waiver," he added.

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march along with Pandher, also said that the government should bring an ordinance for giving something to the people of the country. "The government should bring the ordinance with such an intention that it is implemented with immediate effect, and within six months, it can be converted into a law and there is no problem in that," said Dallewal.

Meanwhile, the Haryana government on Saturday extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts by two more days till February 19. The affected districts are Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa. The government had earlier extended the suspension of mobile internet on February 13 and 15.