Centre says can put farm laws on hold for 1.5 years

NEW DELHI: The Union government on Wednesday proposed to suspend three contentious agricultural laws for one-and-ahalf years, taking a step back to try and assuage farmers with its most far-reaching proposal yet to end months-long protests against the legislation passed in Parliament in September.

In the 10th round of negotiations with a 41-member delegation representing protesting farm unions on Wednesday, the government said it will move an affidavit before the Supreme Court to put the laws in abeyance till a solution to the farmers’ demands is found. Leaders of major farm unions who took part in the talks said they will discuss the government’s offer on January 21, and make their stand clear when the next round of talks takes place on January 22.

To discuss the farmers’ issues, which include a law guaranteeing assured prices for their produce, the government also told farm unions that it proposed to set up a committee of representatives as well as experts who should be nominated both by the protesters and the government to examine “all agitation-related issues”.

“The talks were held on the solemn occasion of Guru Parab, the birth anniversary of (Sikh)

Guru Govind Singh. Farmers have agreed to discuss our proposal and I believe that we will move towards success on January 22, when we meet again,” Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters after the talks concluded at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan on Wednesday.

Farm unions have not rejected the government’s offer outright, unlike in the past, and said it was a proposal worth discussing, which offers a glimmer of hope to end the standoff.