Farmers insist on repealing all 3 farm laws, want ‘yes or no’ reply; Govt seeks time for a concrete proposal
The fifth round of talks between farmer unions and three Central Ministers failed to break the impasse after around five hours marathon meeting at Vigyan Bhawan on Saturday over the farm laws.
The Government has sought time from unions to present a concrete proposal and suggested another meeting on December 9, a day after “Bharat Bandh” called by the farmers’ unions.
Farmer unions’ leaders were adamant that the Government should repeal the farm laws. They also rejected the Government’s offer to amend contentious provisions of the new farm laws.
During the meeting farmer leaders sought the Government to reply in “black and white” that whether it will repeal the laws or not. The farmer unions went on a silent protest (maun vrat), holding up placards and sought a reply in “yes” or
“no” on their key demand of repealing the three new farm laws. They also threatened to walk out if the Government is not willing to scrap the laws.
According to farmers, the Government could not put up a satisfactory solution to the farmers demands and the delegation clearly communicated that the protest will continue if the Government doesn’t repeal the three laws.
The Government has made it clear that it won’t repeal the farm laws but is ready to amend the clauses as per their demands, while the farmers’ leaders said they need a solution or commitment. After that the Ministers informed the farmers that they will come back with a concrete proposal after internal consultations.
December 9 is the next meeting date proposed at 11 am. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, however, said the Government wanted some firm suggestions from the 40 farmer leaders present in the meeting on their key concerns and hoped that a resolution would be reached with their cooperation.
“We discussed all aspects (of the Acts) in detail and we were eager to find a solution which that did not happen. We wanted some firm suggestions from farmer leaders, but couldn’t get those. We will meet again on December 9. It would have been easier if they had given those suggestions today itself. We will wait for their suggestions. Agitating farmers should leave path of protest and engage in dialogue. The Government is ready to listen to all their concerns,” Tomar said after the meeting.
The Agriculture Minister reiterated that the Government has assured the farmers that procurement at minimum support price will continue and mandis will be strengthened.
“We have said that the MSP will continue, there is no threat to it. It is baseless to doubt this. Still, if someone is suspicious then the Government is ready to resolve it,” he said. Tomar also appealed to the union leaders to send back the elderly, women and children to their homes from the protest sites.
Sources said that the Government has agreed to give major concessions to farmers, including written assurance of continuation of minimum support price, registration of traders outside agriculture produce marketing committee (APMCs), and nod to legal recourse in higher courts.
On the farmers’ unions’ call for a Bharat Bandh on December 8, the Minister said while he does “not like to comment on programme of unions”, he would like to “urge farmers to leave path of agitation and come to path of discussion”.
The meeting was also attended by Railway, Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash and Secretary (agriculture) Sanjay Agrawal. On the request of farmer unions, the Government has given them the written minutes of the two previous meetings held on December 1 and 3.
According to farmer leaders, the Central Government has said that they will send them a proposal on December 9. “We will discuss it amongst ourselves after which a meeting with them will be held that day,” farmers said. The farmers’ leaders also made a 39-point presentation on the inadequacies of the contentious new farm laws. Kavitha Kuruganti of AIKSCC (All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee) said the Government was not responding to the pinpointed question of farmer leaders.
Farmer leaders said they don’t want further discussion and want to know what the Government has decided on the farmers’ demands. They asked the Centre to give a point-wise written reply of the last meeting, to which the Government agreed. Farm leaders have said that they will end their protests only after the Government promises a “complete rollback” of the controversial farm laws. “We want the withdrawal of the laws. We won’t accept Government’s offer to amend the laws,” a farm leader said.
“If the Government wants us to stay on road, we’ve no problem. We won’t take path of non-violence. Intelligence Bureau will inform you what we’re doing at protest site,” farmers told the Government.
All India Kisan Sabha, later said in a statement, it condemns the “deliberate prolonging of the talks” and alleged that the Government was working at the behest of corporates.
Ahead of the fifth round of meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meet at his residence with Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh , Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal to discuss the farmers’ movement and demands growing by the day and what could be offered as union of crop growers have threatened to intensify their protests and to observe Bharat Bandh on December 8. The meeting was lasted nearly two hours. Hours after this meeting, the talks between the Government and representatives of 40 farmers unions took place at Vigyan Bhawan.
Before the start of the meeting, an All India Kisan Sabha functionary said only repealing of the new farm laws will end the stalemate. “At this juncture, we have transport unions, retail businesses and other associated groups who have shown solidarity with us. Our movement is not just about farmers,” AIKS finance secretary Krishna Prasad said.
Sunday, 06 December 2020 | Rajesh Kumar | New Delhi
