New Delhi: As thousands of farmers continue to protest at various borders of the national capital demanding the repeal of three new farm laws, the government Wednesday proposed to give a ‘written assurance’ that the existing Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime for procurement will continue. However, the farmers’ unions rejected the proposal. The farmers’ unions said they would intensify their agitation until the government accepts their demand for a complete repeal of the three laws.
The government also proposed to make necessary amendments on at least seven issues, including one to allay fears about the weakening of the mandi system.
In a draft proposal sent to 13 agitating farmers’ unions, the government also said it is ready to provide all necessary clarifications on their concerns about the new farm laws enacted in September, but it did not mention anything about the main demand of protesting farmers for the repeal of the laws.
At a press conference later in the day, farmer leaders said there was nothing new in the government proposal and they will continue their protest.
Separately, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said at a post-Cabinet media briefing that the government is sensitive to the concerns of farmers. He expressed hope that ongoing deliberations with them, which he termed a ‘work in progress’, over the three agriculture-related laws will yield some results soon. He said the government has held several rounds of talks with the farmers agitating against the three legislations and is keen to resolve their issues.
Home Minister Amit Shah in Tuesday night’s meeting with 13 union leaders had said the government would send a draft proposal on key issues raised by the farmers regarding the three farm laws, even though the meeting had failed to break the ice with farm union leaders who are insisting for repealing these laws.
In the proposal, sent by Agriculture Ministry Joint Secretary Vivek Aggarwal, the government said is ready to consider with an open heart the objections which farmers have on the new farm laws.
“The government has tried to address the concerns of farmers with an open heart and with respect for the farming community of India. The government appeals the Kisan unions to end their agitation,” it said.
On farmers’ fears that mandis would weaken after the new laws, the government said an amendment can be made wherein state governments can register the traders operating outside mandis. States can also impose tax and cess as they used in APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) mandis on them.
Various other modifications were suggested in the proposal which was then sent to the farmers’ unions.
The draft proposal has been sent to 13 farmers’ unions leaders including Joginder Singh Urgrahan of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), one of the biggest among nearly 40 agitating unions. “Farmer unions have received the draft proposal from the government,” Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said during the day.
Also read: Ready to give written assurance on continuing with MSP: Government tells agitating farmers
However, later Wednesday the farmers’ unions rejected the government’s proposal. They said they would intensify their agitation against the legislations with a nationwide protest December 14.
They also said they will block the Jaipur-Delhi and the Delhi-Agra expressways on or before December 12, and all the roads entering into the national capital, one-by-one, if their demands are not met.
Farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka told a press conference here that there was nothing new in the government’s proposal sent to them and that it was ‘completely rejected’ by the ‘Sanyukta Kisan Committee’.
Farmer leader Jangvir Singh said that their unions may consider if the government sends another proposal. Kakka said the farmers have decided to intensify their agitation, and that they will block all roads leading to Delhi one by one if the three farm laws are not scrapped.
Another farmer leader, Darshan Pal, said the proposals sent by Union Home Minister Amit Shah contained the same things as Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told farmer leaders in previous meetings. All the highways to Delhi will be blocked December 14 as part of the nationwide protest, he informed.
The farmers continue to protest at several border points of Delhi, demanding the government scrap all the three laws.
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