Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers must follow Covid-19 protocol, defer protests: Narendra Tomar

Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday asked agitating farmers to defer their protests against the three contentious farm laws citing the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the country and resume discussions with the government. “I had urged union leaders many times to tell children and older people to go back home, in view of Covid-19. Now the second wave has begun, farmers and their unions should follow Covid-19 protocol. They should postpone the protest and have discussions with us,” news agency ANI quoted Tomar as saying.The agriculture minister also assured that the Centre is ready for further rounds of talks to discuss the three laws with the protesting farmers. “Many farmers unions, economists are supporting the agriculture bills but some farmers are protesting against them. The government held 11 rounds of talks with protesting farmer unions, we are ready for more talks,” he added.Also read | Ready to follow SOPs, but agitation won’t end: TikaitThe standoff over the laws has continued to date even after the 11 rounds of talks between the government and the farmers’ leaders. During the eleventh round of talks on January 22, the Centre had proposed to stall the farm laws for a period of 12 to 18 months, but the farmers’ unions maintained their stance and rejected the proposal. Instead, they demanded a complete repeal of the laws and a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP).Tomar also said that the unions are protesting despite the government’s offer to hold talks. “We offered to discuss problematic areas and make changes in them. Farmer unions did not accept and did not give a reason. Agitation continues either when [the] government is not ready to talk or when [the] union doesn't get [a] favourable response. Here unions decided to continue it anyway,” the minister said.Thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi’s borders against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act since November last year.

Hindustan Times

10-04-2021

India