Farmers to decide further course of action after Centre' draft proposal

Farmers block a highway during a nationwide general strike called to protest against the recent agricultural laws at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh state border in Ghazipur on December 8, 2020. Pic/AFP

Farmer unions will hold a meeting over the draft of proposals that will be sent by the Centre later on Wednesday and hoped it will ease the ongoing stalemate by providing some clarity on the issues by today evening, said Rakesh Tikait, spokesperson of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU).

"We'll hold a meeting over the draft that will be sent by the Centre. That sixth round with the government which was scheduled for today remains cancelled. The Union government wants to send us a draft of the proposal and wants us to look at it. We will decide our further course of action after looking at the draft and discussing it among ourselves. We hope things will be clear by 4.00 pm to 5.00 pm today," said Tikait while talking to media at Gazipur border today.

All India Kisan Sabha General Secretary Hannan Mollah said all major farmer leaders are scheduled to meet at 12 noon at the Singhu border to discuss the further course of action.

"Nothing new was said in yesterday's meeting with Union Ministers. They want to send a written proposal. If they talk about repealing the laws in the proposal, we'll schedule the next round of meetings. Otherwise, we don't know what will be the further course of action," said Mollah.

Earlier on Tuesday, leaders of farmer unions held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal at Shah's residence, over their demands regarding the three agricultural laws that were passed earlier in September.

After the meeting, Mollah had told the media that the meeting with the Centre, which was scheduled to take place today, stood cancelled and they will get a proposal from the government on which they will deliberate.

Meanwhile, a joint delegation of Opposition parties is scheduled to meet President Ram Nath Kovind later in the evening today, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said leaders from different political parties will meet today to take a collective stand on the new farm laws.

The government and farmer unions have held five rounds of talks so far. Tomar and Goyal, who is also Minister for food and consumer affairs, have been present in previous rounds of talks. Tuesday's meeting started around 8:30 pm and was attended by 13 leaders of farmer unions.

The farmers are protesting against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

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