BATHINDA: Ex-MP Jagmeet Singh Brar met union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and held talks over the ongoing farmer protest, fast by farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
Speaking to TOI over phone from Delhi, Brar said, “I had constructive talks over the farmers’ issues and the agriculture minister listened to those issues seriously and discussed points to initiate talks with farmers and the ongoing fast by Dallewal. Some days ago, I had written a letter to the Prime Minister raising certain issues and that letter too was with the minister as it was forwarded to agriculture ministry by PMO. The meeting with the minister could be held with the intervention of union minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
Brar said that I also raised issues regarding draft for national policy framework on agricultural marketing as per the issues raised by agri economists and scientists including Sucha Singh Gill. I told the minister that some issues in the draft do not suit Punjab as we feel that the agricultural produce market committee (APMC) system will collapse. The minister also stated that the states are free to raise concerns over the issues in the draft.
He said that Chohan told me that the central government is serious about farmer issues including providing MSP as per Swaminathan Committee recommendations and has made a commitment in the Rajya Sabha to implement the report with a 50 per cent profit. He also said that the doors of the central government are open for talks.
Brar said that I had discussed the issues to be raised with agriculture minister with Jagjit Singh Dallewal when I met him at Khanauri a day ago. Dallewal had reiterated the legal guarantee of MSP as per C2+50% and other issues including farm debt waiver.