Farmers Movement Archive

Centre tells protesting farmers that it is ready to discuss ‘all issues’

NEW DELHI/BATHINDA: A day after farm unions opposed to the new laws sought inclusion of repeal of the laws and a legal guarantee to a higher minimum support price (MSP) in the talks agenda, the Centre on Thursday wrote back saying it is ready to take up whatever issues the unions want to discuss in addition to those dealt with in previous rounds. The agriculture ministry letter to the group of 40 farm unions said that though clubbing the MSP issue with farm laws for specific discussion did not appear logical as the legislations had nothing to do with the support price mechanism, the government would still like to discuss them along with all other issues. The Centre told the unions that it is ready to discuss "all issues raised by you", a stance that accommodates the additional conditions the farm unions set out in their letter to the government. Emphasising that the government is ready for talks when the unions take a call, the Centre urged them to send details so that discussion on them could take place. It was the third letter from the ministry to farmers' unions with the first one being written on December 9 when the government listed the amendments which could be made to strengthen the farm laws. It said it is "duty bound" to listen to farm unions and keep the doors open for talks. It said it has been engaging the unions respectfully and with an open mind. Read AlsoCentre sends fresh invite to protesting farmers, says not logical to discuss new MSP-related demandNEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi government on Thursday sent a fresh letter to the protesting farmers’ unions inviting them for talks. Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi met President Ram Nath Kovind and demanded a joint session of Parliament to repeal the three farm laws. The BJP retorted byThough the ministry’s third letter to the unions appears to be a step forward from its December 20 response when it sought a date for resuming talks without mentioning anything beyond the proposed amendments, farm leaders felt that if the government is serious about talks it must first keep the laws in abeyance. Though a formal response will be firmed up after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses farmers from six states on Friday, the stance could indicate another shift in position by the unions. Read AlsoInclude repeal of new farm laws in agenda for fresh talks: Farmer unions on govt's fresh letterNEW DELHI: Protesting farmer unions alleged on Thursday that the government's latest letter for talks is nothing but a propaganda against the peasants to create an impression that they are not interested in dialogue and asked it to put the scrapping of the three recent farm laws in the agenda to"These laws must at least be kept in abeyance while discussions are taking place. It’s like ceasefire… If you set an agenda for a meeting where repeal is on the table then we will have a good discussion," said Avik Saha, national convener of Jai Kisan Andolan and general secretary of the umbrella body AIKSCC. Some farm leaders said the letter gave a very confusing message. On the one hand the ministry expressed its intention to talk to farm unions on all issues with an open mind while on the other hand the government has publicly taken a position that the farm laws are good and it will carry through these acts. Officials pointed out that the Centre was simply responding to the unions' demand that the issues they are raising be discussed. Read AlsoGovt ready to make changes to proposal; farmers demand concrete solutionNEW DELHI: Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday said that the government is ready to make any necessary changes to the draft proposal on the new farm laws and hoped to resume dialogue with the farmers. Meanwhile, the farmer unions also expressed their willingness to resumeResponding to the charge that the government is trying to be divisive by holding parallel talks with "so-called farmer leaders and organisations that exist only on paper and those who have no connection with the ongoing struggle", the ministry said it is the government’s responsibility to hear the concerns of all farm unions or groups and it cannot deny engagements with others (those who are not protesting against the farm laws). Officials in the ministry believe that the addition of the new demand about MSP on the comprehensive cost formula appeared to be an attempt by a few farmers’ unions to make the ongoing protests a pan-India issue as the "support price" matter will concern everyone unlike the protests on farm laws issues which are primarily restricted to Punjab, Haryana and western UP.

The Times of India

2020-12-25

India