Farmers Movement Archive

Centre should relent to put an end to farmers’ misery

Trust deficit has to be resolvedIt is the trust deficit that led to a deadlock in talks between the government and the unions representing various farm bodies over the newly enacted farm laws. Since the Covid threat is still looming large, farmers gathering are potential hotspots and may lead to people getting infected with deadly virus in surrounding areas. Both the government and the farm unions must end the standoff in view of the danger by the pandemic. Farmers' agitation is affecting every body. The government must create an atmosphere of trust to resolve the issue at the earliest.Anil VinayakPM needs to act more sensitivelyThe agriculturists are out on roads protesting against the farm laws for our sake. They were compelled to stay put at highways as government was adamant upon not resolving the issue. There is no pint for a head of a nation to pass such judgments which are strongly criticised by the kingdom. The government cannot trouble the protesters by erecting barriers and showering water cannons on them. The government has no regard even for the safety of farmers even during the pandemic.Khushpreet Kaur BrarNegotiation needed to break the deadlockFarmers have been protesting for the past 2-3 months. The government has responded to the situation in a positive way. The situation must come to a negotiation as soon as possible as the public is suffering the most. Half of the population of the country is supporting farmers in one way or the other. No one wants to sit in bone-chilling cold. The government has been tackling the situation the wrong way.IzleenStop drifting towards autocratic form of govtThe Centre should end the crisis as soon as possible as it is causing inconvenience for many people other than farmers such as tourists and commuters. Bill Gates has predicted that the coming six months might be very fatal due to Covid-19. So, the farmers must be sensitised about it and requested to follow the Covid-19 guidelines. The Centre should listen to farmers because if the people for whom the laws are made are not satisfied with them, the imposition of such laws falsifies the image of the government as being an autocratic on.JATINDERPAL SINGHGovt indifferent to protesters' demandsThe farm laws were hurried through when Covid was at its peak. The laws took away the hearths, honour and dignity of farmers. Since then, the farmers have been waging a peaceful war against these laws, and spending painful days and nights at the roads, railway lines and in front of the houses of bigwigs of the regime. Earlier, the country had seen the unprecedented exodus from the big cities, when the poor migratory labour in lakhs, unable to survive in the lockdown, had left for their homes on bicycles, which were thousands of miles away from their workplaces. Many losing their lives on the way, but the regime remained indifferent to their travails and miseries. Indifferent regimes are more dangerous than the worst vagaries of the nature. Farmers have been undergoing unbearable miseries for more than three months, losing more than 20 precious lives. So, many people have lost their lives by the Covid, in transit, during migration, and in the farmers agitation, and still the regime appears to be untouched by the cries of farmers.Hardish SandhuNo one sought farmers' opinionIt is the duty of the Centre to resolve agricultural crisis immediately. New laws are made for farmers. If the same farmers are not happy, then the very laws lose their essence. Even the government should make a law with consultation with farmers and seek their opinion. Otherwise, it will be dangerous for everybody because in these Covid times, thousands of farmers are roaming outside and many can get infected. So, the government should resolve the problem as soon as possible.Rohit Kumar SehdevPay heed to what farmers wantCommuters have been facing hardships due to road blockades and the gatherings might lead to an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases. Apart from that, the Congress, SAD and the AAP have instigated the farmers by spreading rumours to garner political mileage. In such a situation, when Covid and farmers protest are running parallel, one needs to act sensibly. The PM should personally intervene to resolve the situation. It would be apt if the government reconsiders the laws in question by calling a session of the Parliament to tide over the problem. Being obdurate is not going to help in such a situation.SAAHIL HANSgovt’s carelessness causing damageThe Centre seems to be in no mood to resolve the issues of farmers. Right from the beginning, the Centre adopted a hostile attitude towards the farmers. Ordinances are issued under severe emergency when the Parliament is not in session. What was the urgency to issue farm ordinance in the month of June this year when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak in the country? The government rushed through the three farm laws in a great hurry without any discussions and debates in both Houses of Parliament. No Parliament committee was formed to discuss the said bill neither objections and suggestions were called from the public which is mandatory under the rules for such important laws. The Centre extended no sympathetic ear to the farmers' agitation in Punjab for quite long now. Ultimately, when government called farmer's representatives for discussions in Delhi, Union Agriculture Minister remained absent from the meeting. All the above said blunders on part of the Central government led to the present deadlock. No doubt danger of spreading of Covid is looming large due to assembly of thousands of people at the outskirts of Delhi but government is responsible for it.Harsh N JoharDilly-dallying won't fetch anythingThe government must talk to farmers to expedite the matter engage them meaningfully and listen to what they say considerately in order to resolve the agricultural crisis as the Covid clouds are hovering over the country menacingly. Farmers are up against the Centre which did not take the annadatas into confidence before passing the contentious farm laws in a hush-hush manner. The farmers feed us cheaply and plentifully . They ought to be listened and treated with respect. Their agitation is getting overwhelming support from all sections of society. The prolonged agitation does not augur well for the country. The Centre must remove the lacunae in the Acts which go against the interests of the farmers. The meetings between the two have proved out to be abortive so far. The government must end the impasse immediately and redress their genuine grievances. But rather than resolving the agri crisis in an amicable way the Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and his ilk are branding the farmers as ' separatists' , 'Khalistanis', ‘tukde- tukde' gang. They are trumpeting that the farmers' agitation is being sponsored by Pakistan and China. It does not behove the ministers to spread canards. The BJP IT Cell and the so-called WhatsApp university are churning out blatant lies to misinform the masses. This must be stopped if the the conducive atmosphere is not to be vitiated .If the farmers , who are the chief stakeholders, don't want the reform laws , who for is the government wanting to retain them? The Centre cannot brush off the farmers’ protests as a mere stage managed demonstration. It will be in our interest if the government reconsiders the controversial laws by conveying a Parliament session in order to resolve the agri crisis at the earliest possible. Being arrogant and adamant is not going to help tide over the predicament. The Centre must revoke the three laws and enact a new one guaranteeing MSP for all major farm produce. The government’s appeal to the farmers to end their protests sounds hollow as farmers can not return to their villages empty handed. A large majority of farming community, farm labour, tenant farmers and women farmers have been tied to the stake. Dilly- dallying won't fetch anything tangible. The government intends to create division and dissension among the farmers.Tarsem S BumrahQUESTIONAccidents due to stray cattle are quite common these days as visibility reduces due to fog in the winter season. What measures should be taken to minimise fatal accidents?Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to amritsardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (December 24).

The Tribune

2020-12-21