Overview

• Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal warned that farmers will boycott the May 4 meeting with the Centre if Punjab government representatives are included.
• The Union Agriculture Ministry formally invited farmers to the talks, stating that representatives from both the Centre and the Punjab government will attend.
• Tensions escalated after Punjab Police evicted farmers from long-standing sit-ins at Shambhu and Khanauri borders last month and detained leaders in March.
• Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha sent a letter to Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan urging the exclusion of Punjab officials from the talks.
• The May 4 meeting will mark the seventh round of negotiations since February 2025, with farmers seeking a legal guarantee for minimum support prices and other agrarian reforms.