Unions reject Centre’s proposal to set up committee to look into farmers’ issues; another round of discussion tomorrow
The ongoing farmers’ agitation shows no signs of an early end as the farmers’ unions on Tuesday rejected the Centre’s proposal to set up a committee to look into issues raised by them against the new farm laws and threatened to intensify their protests if their demand for a repeal of the new farm legislations are not met.
With the two separate meetings between the agitating organisations and the Centre, represented by three Union Ministers, ending without any resolution, the Government has called for another round of discussion on Thursday, December 3.
“The meeting was good and we have decided that the talks will be held on 3rd December. We wanted a small group to be constituted but farmers’ leaders wanted that the talks should be held with everyone, we do not have problem with it,” Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said after the meeting with 35 unions at Vigyan Bhawan. He along with Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and MoS Commerce Som Parkash held the talks with the farmers’ representatives.
“We appeal to the farmers to suspend the protests and come for the talks. However, this decision depends on farmers’ unions and farmers,” he said. Tomar had suggested the formation of a committee comprising farmers’ and Government representatives besides agricultural experts to discuss the farm laws but it was summarily rejected by the unions.
Later, the Ministers met with farmers’ leaders from Haryana, UP, and Uttarakhand, at Krishi Bhawan. “We told leaders to form a smaller group and discuss the act clause by clause. The Government has no objection over any discussion,” Tomar said.
“The farmer’s organisations rejected the Government’s proposal to form a committee to look into the issues related to the new farm laws,” said Roopsingh Sanha, member of Bharat Kisan Union.
“Tomorrow, there will be an important meeting of the leaders of the farmers’ organisation, in which today’s meeting with the Government will be reviewed,” said Wark Singh, leader of All India Kisan Sabha. The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) said in a statement that the talks remained inconclusive and the Government’s proposal was not acceptable to farmers’ unions.
The Government side gave a detailed presentation on the minimum support price, agriculture produce marketing committee Act and other provisions of the three farm laws and tried to convince them that these laws are not against the farmers. The farmers, however, remained adamant on their demand that the Government should abolish the legislations.
The Government reasoned that a high-level committee must be formed to look into the issues and wanted the farmer representatives to further consider the proposal. Sources said the Ministers were of the view that it was difficult to reach a decision while interacting with such large groups and therefore they suggested meeting with a smaller group, but the farmer leaders were firm that they would meet collectively only. The unions also know that agitating farmers at borders will not be satisfied with the meeting, which is generally perceived as a way to put an issue in cold storage.
Prior to the meeting Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Piyush Goyal attended a meeting over the farmers’ protest at BJP chief JP Nadda’s residence.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs in the meanwhile issued a statement saying the Government continues to procure Kharif crops at its MSP from farmers as per its existing MSP Schemes and about 29.70 lakh farmers have already benefited from ongoing Kharif Marketing Season 2020-21 procurement operations with MSP value of Rs 60038.68 crores. It also said paddy procurement for Kharif 2020-21 is continuing smoothly in the procuring States & UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
Wednesday, 02 December 2020 | Rajesh Kumar | New Delhi
