Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers’ body puts off tractor rally plan

“After the announcement of the repeal of the three farm laws, there is no point in continuing farmers’ agitation. I urge farmers to end their agitation and go home,” the Minister said. ‘Resume dialogue’ On the other hand, after its leaders met at the Singhu border site on Saturday, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha urged the Government to restart the dialogue process and sought a written assurance that its other demands would be met, including a legal guarantee that all farmers will get minimum support prices for their crops. The SKM leadership will meet again on December 4 to decide their next course of action. Addressing a press conference after the SKM meeting, Krantikari Kisan Union leader Darshan Pal said it had been decided to suspend or postpone the plan to send 500 farmers in tractors from Delhi’s borders to Parliament. He said the farmers were staying put and awaiting a formal reply to their letter sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with six demands including the dismissal and arrest of Home Minister for State Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’ for his alleged role in recent deaths of farmers at Lakhimpur, and the withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill. The other four demands are related to MSP, stubble burning, compensation and a memorial for the dead, and withdrawal of cases filed against farmers. “In today’s meeting, the demand for MSP was identified as most important. Until this issue is resolved, we will not go home,” insisted Rajveer Jadaun, a leader in the Bharatiya Kisan Union-Tikait group which is prominent in western Uttar Pradesh. ‘Restart dialogue’ “It is time for the Government to restart a dialogue with us in a respectful way,” he added. “In a democracy, it is the duty of the elected government to consult the protesting farmers and resolve the disputes amicably,” said an SKM statement. Talks between the unions and the Cabinet Ministers had broken down in January after 11 rounds with both sides holding on to their positions. However, last week, days before the one year anniversary of the protests, Mr. Modi gave in to the farmers’ demands to repeal the three farm laws. The SKM leadership will meet again on December 4 to decide their next course of action.

The Hindu

2021-11-28

November 28 2021 00:00 IST