KMM coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher said that they will take up the issue of venue in the next meeting.
Turning down the appeal of agitating farmers’ organizations to hold the next meeting with representatives of the Centre in New Delhi, the Government of India scheduled the next round of talks on February 22 in Chandigarh. A letter written by Pura Chandra Kishan, joint secretary at Union ministry of agriculture, to leaders of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, stated that the next round of meeting would be convened at MGSIPA, Chandigarh, at 6 pm. Even though the government of Punjab is yet to receive any communication by the Centre, a senior government functionary said that the last time too, they were informed at the last minute.
KMM coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher said that they will take up the issue of venue in the next meeting. “It was our appeal to the Centre and they have not accepted it. We will go for the meeting and take up the issue with them in the meeting itself,” Pandher said. SKM non-political convenor Jagjit Singh Dallewal said that he will make some important announcements at the Khanauri morcha on Thursday afternoon and on February 21, the first death anniversary of farmer Shubhkaran Singh will be observed at his native village in Bathinda’s Balloh.
The farmers leaders had, in the last meeting, appealed to Union minister Pralhad Joshi to hold the next meeting in Delhi so that farmers leaders from the entire northern region could attend it. Pandher had then said that the minister had agreed to hold the meeting in Delhi. There was a confusion over the venue of the meeting as Joshi had told the media that he would come “here” alongwith Union agriculture minister Shivraj Chouhan, who was busy with his son’s wedding on February 14, when the last meeting took place. Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, who was also a part of the meeting, had said that the meeting should be in Delhi as the farmers have been demanding this.
