During all past meetings between the leaders of the agitating farmers’ groups and the Centre, farmers brought their food cooked at langars set up at various protest sites, including Singhu border. It became a statement on part of the farmers that they rejected the hospitality of the government. So in all past meetings, during the lunch time, farmer leaders had lunch together while ministers and other Central representatives had lunch separately. The union leaders either brought food or got it delivered during the lunch time.
On Wednesday, however, another message was given and this time it was by the ministers as Piyush Goyal, Narendra Singh Tomar joined the leaders during the lunch break. Food was served to the ministers by the farmer leaders.
The protesting farmers’ demand includes framing of a specific law on Minimum Support Price (MSP), and a written assurance on it, ending the punishment provision for stubble burning, repealing three contentious farm laws passed in September during the Monsoon Session of Parliament and stalling the upcoming Electricity (Amendment) Act, 2020.
