Representatives of farmers' organisations protesting at the Shambhu border met Rahul Gandhi at Parliament House on Wednesday to urge him to use the INDIA bloc's enhanced strength in the Lok Sabha to forcefully raise their issues, particularly a legal guarantee on MSP.

The farmers were trying to ensure that the Congress remains steadfast on its manifesto promise to implement a law guaranteeing MSP for a range of crops, pointing out that the party has the responsibility of mounting pressure on the government on this count.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Rahul said the legal guarantee on MSP was doable, adding that the Congress had assessed its implications.

The farmer leaders also told Rahul that the community was upset with the fact that the BJP government had recommended the President’s Medal for Gallantry to six policemen who stopped farmers from marching towards Delhi in February. Rahul assured the delegation that he would discuss their issues with other INDIA leaders and raise their demands in Parliament.

The two umbrella organisations spearheading the agitation at the Shambhu border since February — the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha — had written to all Opposition parties seeking a meeting with them. The leader of the Opposition’s office had reached out to them in response and agreed to a meeting on Wednesday.

The meeting, however, was not without a hitch as the 12 farmer representatives were initially not allowed to enter the Parliament premises to meet Rahul in his office. Staff from Rahul’s office intervened, but to no avail.

Rahul told reporters that the farmers who he had invited to his office were not being allowed to come. “The Prime Minister will know the reason,” he said, deciding to go meet the farmers himself. This speeded up the process of granting access to the farmers’ delegation.

Part of the access issue was attributed to the change of security personnel at the Parliament House, which is now under the protection of the Central Industrial Security Force and not the Parliament Security Service that used to handle the issuance of passes.

There was, however, no mention of the delay in getting into Parliament House in the statement issued by the farmers.