Farmers Movement Archive

All 4 members back agri laws, will proceed with R-Day rally: Protesters

NEW DELHI/ BATHINDA: Farmer unions opposed to the central farm laws on Tuesday said the stay on implementation of farm legislations was not a solution as it could be undone any time and therefore they would continue their protests on two key demands — repeal of laws and a legal guarantee to MSP — and go ahead with a march in Delhi on Republic Day. Union representatives criticised the composition of the committee, saying all four members are pro-farm laws and against the repeal demand. They ruled out any truck with the SC-appointed panel even if it is expanded to include wider representation, underlining that they would rather engage with government to get the laws repealed. They made it clear that the unions would participate in talks with the government on January 15. “We won’t accept any committee formed by the SC for mediation. We knew that the government will get a committee formed through SC to take the burden off its shoulders. That’s the reason we issued a statement last night, saying we won’t appear before any committee,” said Darshan Pal, chief of Krantikari Kisan Union. One of the four members, BKU’s Bhupinder Singh Mann led umbrella body, AIKCC, had even met agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on December 14, 2020 and submitted a memorandum in favour of the farm laws. The agriculture ministry had then while referring to the farmers’ support issued a statement, saying how more than 7,000 organisations under the umbrella of the All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) will “rise up to support the recently enacted farm Acts”. The other member of the committee, Anil Ghanwat, is chief of the Shetkari Sanghatana - a farm outfit of Maharashtra - which is also part of the pro-farm laws group, AIKCC. “Everybody knows about the pro-government approach of the committee members. They had been writing in support of the farm laws. It seems to be a ploy of the government that instead of forming a committee on its own, it has made the apex court do so, but we will not fall in the trap. We will not accept any committee...,” said farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal echoing Pal. “The composition of the committee gives you a glimpse of what’s wrong in this process,” said Avik Saha of Jai Kisan Andolan. “The SC shortlisted eight farm organisations out of 32 Punjab bodies and impleaded us. Our lawyers had represented us in that capacity only,” a leader said. Farmer representatives Prem Singh Bhangu, Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Jagmohan Singh said the government wanted to put their demand of repealing the laws into cold storage by forming a committee. “We’ve made it clear we do not need any mediation from a panel. The matter should be discussed in Parliament,” they added. Reacting to the SC order, unions’ umbrella body, Samyukta Kisan Morcha, issued a joint statement saying suspending the implementation of the laws as an interim measure is welcome but “is not a solution and the farmer unions have not been asking for this solution, given the fact that the implementation can be reinstated at any time .” The Morcha was also critical of the composition of the committee and said, “It is clear the Court is being misguided by various forces even in its constitution of a committee.” "Instead of creating a positive atmosphere for the talks, this will only provoke the farmers who are demanding nothing less than repeal of the farm laws," said P Krishnaprasad, AIKS secretary and member of the working group, All Indian Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) - umbrella body of over 450 anti-farm laws organisations from across the country. “The Supreme Court orders on formation of committee and farmers reaction on its constitution have not only exposed the trust deficit between government and farmers’ unions but also reflected limitation of role of judiciary in arbitration. After decision to continue agitation by farmers’ groups in Delhi, it is almost certain that the protests will now spread to other parts of country,” said Sudhir Panwar, farmer leader from Uttar Pradesh and ex-member, Planning Commission of the state. Farmers announced the tractor rally will be taken out in a peaceful manner on January 26 and modalities announced after January 15, indicating the protest will be intensified as “farmers sitting at Delhi borders have declined to go back”. Copies of farm laws will be burned on Wednesday on Lohri, as decided earlier. On their plan for Republic Day, farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said, “It will be completely peaceful. We have been peaceful all through our protests and we will remain peaceful.” The farmers’ unions had on January 2 announced to hold the march in Delhi only after conclusion of the official Republic Day function. “It seems the the government has briefed the SC wrongly,” said Avik Saha, working group member of the AIKSCC.

The Times of India

2021-01-13

India