Centre to hold talks with protesting farmers on February 14
What's the story
The Indian government has called protesting farmers from Punjab for a meeting on February 14 in Chandigarh, a senior official of the Union government said on Saturday evening.
The development comes after a delegation of the Union Agriculture Ministry, led by Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan, met fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and representatives of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
Health concerns
Fasting farmer leader agrees to medical aid
Dallewal, who has been on a fast-unto-death for 54 days and lost around 20kg, has agreed to take medical aid to attend the upcoming talks according to sources.
This is the first time representatives from the Centre have interacted with protesting farmers since previous talks with Union ministers failed last year.
"We urge him to break his fast, take medical aid so that he can participate in the meeting," Ranjan said at Khanauri protest site.
Ongoing agitation
Farmers' protest and demands
Farmers have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points since February 13 last year after they were denied permission to march to Delhi.
Their demands include a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
On Saturday, 10 more farmers joined the fast-unto-death at Khanauri, taking the fasting farmers' number to 121.
Farmer leader Kaka Singh Kotra hoped Dallewal would represent them at the February 14 meeting.