“I invite the farmer leaders for discussion”: Arjun Munda calls for fifth round of talks with farmer leaders amidst renewed call for 'Delhi Chalo’

As the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march resumed on Wednesday, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Arjun Munda invited the farmer leaders for a fifth round of talks to settle the MSP debate. The protestors were met with fierce resistance at the Sambhu border where tear gas shells were launched to thwart their advance.

Taking to social media platform “X”, the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare underscored the need to maintain peace amidst the continued standoff between the forces and the protestors at the Sambhu border. “After the fourth round, the government is ready to discuss all the issues like MSP demand, crop diversification, stubble issue, FIR in the fifth round. I again invite the farmer leaders for discussion. It is important for us to maintain peace,” posted Munda.

The farmers resumed their protest after the fourth round of talks between the Union Government and the farm leaders failed to yield any results. The farmers turned down the government's proposal for a five-year MSP procurement scheme for pulses, maize, and cotton, arguing it fails to meet their needs. They criticized the plan for its limited scope, covering only a select number of crops and overlooking others. In addition, the precondition of adopting crop diversification to qualify for MSP was met with dissatisfaction.

Ahead of the resumption of the farmers protest, the security measures were tightened. Barricades, guard rails, barbed wires, and iron nails were installed at the border area to thwart the protest march from progressing towards the National capital. The farmers on Wednesday were met with massive resistance from the forces as tear gas shells were fired and protesting farmers were detained by the Haryana police.