Unions reject offer to put farm laws on hold
NEW DELHI: Farm unions protesting three new agricultural laws have rejected the Union government’s offer to put the legislation in abeyance for at least one-and-a-half years — a decision that has deepened the crisis just when it appeared that a 56-day-long agitation by tens of thousands of farmers on the Capital’s borders could finally be resolved.
In the 10th round of negotiations with a 41-member delegation representing farm unions on Wednesday, the Union government offered to suspend the three pieces of legislation in its most far-reaching proposal yet.
But the farmers, instead of agreeing to meet the government midway, hardened their already rigid position on Thursday, saying they will not budge from their demand for a complete repeal of the laws.
After several rounds of internal discussions over the government offer, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the platform of farm unions leading the agitation, said on Thursday evening that the farmers had unanimously rejected the proposal.
“The proposal to suspend the laws is not acceptable because our demand is a repeal of the laws,” said Darshan Pal, a senior leader of the agitation.
A statement put out by the unions said a full general body meeting of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha was held on Thursday. “The proposal put forth by the government yesterday, was
rejected. A full repeal of three central farm acts and enacting a legislation for remunerative MSP [minimum support price] for all farmers were reiterated as the pending demands of the movement,” the statement said.
In Wednesday’s talks, the government said that it would move an affidavit before the Supreme Court stating it’s decision to put the laws in abeyance till a solution to farmers’ demands was found. To discuss the issues raised by farmers, which includes a law guaranteeing assured prices for their produce, the government had also told farm unions that it proposed
to set up a committee of representatives as well as experts who should be nominated both by farm unions and the government to examine “all agitation-related issues”.
The move was hailed by experts as a step back by the government, and they expected farmers to reciprocate. The farm unions, too, said they would discuss the government’s fresh offer, sparking hopes of a resolution.
But Thursday’s inflexible position by the farmers now leaves few options to resolve the crisis. Rakesh Tikait, the leader of BKU (Tikait faction) said the full general body of the farm unions felt that accepting the government’s proposal would defeat the purpose of the agitation.
Joginder Singh Ugrahan, another senior farm leader, said the government’s proposal would “divert and delay” the farmers’ demands.
The government has pushed a set of agricultural laws to ease restrictions in farm trade, allow traders to stockpile large quantities of food stocks for future sales and lay down a national framework for contract farming based on written agreements.
KARNAL: The number of farmers at the Delhi-Haryana border is likely to increase in the next few days as farmers from Punjab and Haryana are making a beeline for Delhi to join the proposed tractor march on January 26.
Following the call by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and farmer unions for a tractor march on Republic Day, farmers from northern districts of Haryana have started towards Delhi border in tractor-trailers, SUVs, cars, trucks and canters.
Farmers are also taking combine harvesters and earth-movers to Delhi as they said that the heavy vehicles will be the centre of attraction at the parade.
Movement of farmers on NH-44 is also being considered as a pressure tactics by farmer unions before the crucial meeting between farmer leaders and Union ministers scheduled for January 22, as the government has given a proposal to withhold implementation of the laws for one-and-a-half year.
Manjit Sangwan, a young farmer from Bara Gaon in Karnal, said, “Most farmers are going towards Delhi on tractors, but we have decided to take combine-harvesters for the parade as combine-harvesters are considered the Rafale of farmers.”
“We should join the protest as our leaders have made the call. We are making arrangements to take 300 tractor-trailers from our villages for the January 26 parade,” said a farmer from Gagsina village.
A BKU (Charuni) leader, Jagdip Sigh Aulakh, said that around 20,000 tractor-trailers from Karnal will leave for Delhi on January 24. Farmers en route Delhi are getting all support including food and shelter from other farmers and gurdwaras located along the highway. Farmers from Punjab are also praising farmers from Haryana for their support to farmers going towards Delhi.
We have come from Gurdaspur but are feeling at home in Haryana as people are providing all support. We will join the parade to showcase our strength to govt.
CHARANJIT SINGH, farmer
“We have come from Gurdaspur but are feeling at home in Haryana as people are providing all support. We will join the parade to showcase strength of farmers to the government,” said an elderly farmer Charanjit Singh at Bastara toll plaza.
“Our local workers are collecting donations from farmers and the money is being used to provide food, vegetables, shelter and other facilities to the protesting farmers,” said Hoshiar Singh Gill, a BKU leader from Kaithal.