Farmers hold mahapanchayat in Delhi, raise concerns over trade deal and MSP guarantee

Thousands of farmers and agricultural workers gathered at Ramlila Maidan on Friday for a “mahapanchayat” organized by Samyukt Kisan Morcha, where speakers called on the central government to address long-pending demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price procurement.

Participants raised slogans against the federal government and submitted memorandums addressed to the Prime Minister’s Office, outlining their demands. According to statements made at the event, the gathering drew attendees from multiple states, including Punjab and Haryana, regions heavily dependent on agriculture.

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and other speakers criticized a proposed India–United States trade agreement, warning it could negatively impact domestic agriculture and small farmers. They called for the agreement to be withdrawn, citing concerns about market access and price stability.

Dallewal said the federal government had previously assured farmers, at the conclusion of earlier protests, that it would introduce a legal framework guaranteeing procurement of crops at Minimum Support Price. He said those commitments remain unfulfilled.

The statements made at the event reflect the position of farmer groups. Connect Newsroom contacted federal government officials for comment on the trade agreement and MSP demands. No response was received by publication time.