Farmers Movement Archive

Centre offers to put off reforms for 18 months

Their major demands have been a repeal of the three laws on agricultural marketing, and a new legal guarantee for minimum support prices. The government was keen on reaching a final decision at the meeting on Gurpurab. The Centre thus said it was ready to keep the three farm laws suspended for one to one-and-a-half years, during which a solution can be reached through mutual dialogue, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told journalists after the meeting. “If the agitation is ended, and the farmers can go home, then that will be a victory for Indian democracy, not for any individual,” he added. “In order to increase the farmer unions’ belief and trust in the fact that they are very serious and sincere about the suspension idea, the government said it is willing to do this through an undertaking in the Supreme Court,” said Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch leader Kavitha Kuruganti, who was one of the farmers’ delegation members. “We wanted a repeal of the three laws. The unions will discuss this new proposal at a joint meeting of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha tomorrow [Thursday] afternoon and then take a decision,” said Krantikari Kisan Union leader Darshan Pal. The Punjab unions will hold their own meeting to decide their stance on Thursday morning before the SKM meeting. When the negotiations began on Wednesday, the unions raised the issue of National Intelligence Agency issuing notices to supporters of the agitation, as well as FIRs filed against protesting farmers in Haryana. “On the one hand, the government is talking about finding solutions, but on the other hand, the NIA and State police are harassing and pressuring the protesters and those providing moral support,” said Rakesh Tikait, who heads one faction of the Bharatiya Kisan Union. Mr. Tomar promised to take up the issue with the Home Ministry, added Mr. Tikait. Before the talks began, the unions welcomed the Supreme Court’s refusal to stop the proposed tractor parade on Republic Day, leaving it to the Delhi police to decide on whether to grant permission.

The Hindu

2021-01-21

January 21 2021 00:00 IST