Shivraj Chouhan Meets Farm Groups; Protesting Farmers Question Why They’re Excluded

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met leaders of farmer groups from Haryana and Chhattisgarh on Tuesday as part of his initiative to engage with cultivators. The discussions included representatives from Haryana’s Naugama Khap Kisan Sangathan (Jind), Satrol Khap Seva Samiti (Hisar), and Nandal Khap (Rohtak), along with Chhattisgarh’s Yuva Pragatisheel Kisan Sangh. Khaps, traditional farming clans, play a significant role in rural communities across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

Focus on Rural Prosperity

Chouhan highlighted the government’s key objectives for enhancing rural prosperity, emphasizing increased agricultural output, reduced cultivation costs through affordable credit and high-yielding seeds, state-backed procurement at minimum support prices, and expanded farm mechanization. “During the meeting, the farmers’ organisations appreciated the central government’s work being done for agriculture and farmers’ welfare. They also submitted some important suggestions,” Chouhan shared in a post on X.

Amid the minister’s outreach, protests by farmers in Haryana continued, with groups demanding legally guaranteed minimum support prices (MSP) for 23 crops. Sarwan Singh Pandher, a leader from the protesting factions, criticized the government for engaging selectively with farmer groups. “Haryana government officials talked to us three times and then stopped meeting us. Nobody from the Centre has contacted us so far. What’s the point of the agriculture minister meeting farmer groups aligned to his party? Why doesn’t he invite us?” Pandher remarked.

Protests and Hunger Strikes Persist

Key farmer unions such as the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Arajnaitik) and the Pandher-led Kisan Mazdoor Sangh temporarily paused their planned march to Delhi, awaiting outreach from state or central authorities. However, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, leader of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur), continued his indefinite hunger strike in Punjab.

On November 27, Dallewal announced that he had made a legal will, transferring his property and farms to his children in preparation for the hunger strike. Now on its 15th day, Dallewal’s fast has raised alarm about his health. He has been hospitalized in Ludhiana, where his condition is under constant observation, according to a spokesperson from his organization.

The government’s engagement with certain farmer groups, juxtaposed with ongoing protests, highlights the complex dynamics between policymakers and cultivators. While some farmer leaders acknowledge progress, others insist on more inclusive and direct dialogue to address their demands effectively.

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