Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers reject amendment proposals, plan to intensify stir

Farmer leaders on Wednesday rejected the Union government’s proposal to amend the farm laws and vowed to intensify their agitation until they are repealed. They plan to block the capital’s highways to Agra and Jaipur by December 12 and hold a nationwide dharna two days later. The Centre delivered its written proposal to the farmers’ leadership at the Singhu border point on Tuesday afternoon, two weeks after the tens of thousands of farmers began their protest, camping on Delhi’s borders. The proposal offered a written assurance that government procurement at minimum support price would remain, along with proposals to amend the laws to deal with the concerns raised by farmers regarding parity between State-run and private mandis, registration of traders, and dispute resolution mechanisms. “There is nothing different in this from what has been said during the discussions, which we have repeatedly rejected. The government wants to dress up its old proposals in new clothes. It’s an insult to farmers,” said Krantikari Kisan Union president Darshan Pal. He outlined plans to step up the pressure. “By December 12, we will jam the Delhi-Jaipur highway. On that day, we will make toll plazas across the country free for a day,” he said, adding that farmers were calling for a boycott of Jio mobile connections and other products and services of the Reliance and Adani conglomerates. D

The Hindu

2020-12-10

NEW DELHI