Farmers agitating against the new farm laws at borders of Delhi on Wednesday evening rejected a government proposal aimed at addressing their key concerns and announced to intensify their protest around Delhi if the government doesn't scrap all the three farm laws.
At a press conference farmers after receiving the proposal, the farmers announced to block Delhi-Jaipur and Delhi-Agra highways on December 12 to make the government bow to their demand
"We reject the government's proposal. We will block Delhi-Jaipur and Delhi-Agra highways on December 12," they announced at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border), over an hour after receiving the government's draft proposal.
What is in govt's proposal?
In the draft proposal, the Centre agreed to give a "written assurance" that the existing Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime for procurement will continue.
Sent to 13 agitating farmer unions, the proposal assures registration of all private mandis to strengthen Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (AMPCs). It also proposes amendments including registration provision of private traders for trading outside APMC mandis, equal taxes for APMC mandis and private markets.
The government has also agreed to farmers' demand for allowing them to go to higher courts in cases of farming disputes. The new law provides that farmers can go to SDM courts, which according to farmers, are not adequately trained in delivering justice.
In the draft proposal, the Central government said farmers' concerns on the issue of penalty for stubble burning under new ordinance on air quality management in Delhi-NCR will adequately be resolved.
On proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, the proposal says there will not be any change in the current system of electricity bill payment by farmers.
Bid to end the deadlock
The draft proposal has been sent to farmers after five rounds of failed talks with the Central government, and a day after a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah also remain inconclusive. Following the meeting with Shah, the sixth round of talks between farmers and the government scheduled today was called off.
Repeal all the three laws: Farmers
Reacting to the government's proposal, farmer leader Jasbir Singh said that the government has not given anything that they are ready to accept. "We had said we want the repeal of the laws. These proposals will still favour the corporates. Our leaders are in the meeting. They will take a decision on what will happen next," Singh said.
Kanwalpreet Singh Pannu of Kisan Sangharsh Committee said, "All three farm laws should be repealed. This is our demand. If the proposal talks of only amendments then we will reject it".
Opposition delegation meets President
Meanwhile, a delegation comprising of several senior Opposition leaders including Congress' Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Left leaders Sitaram Yechury and D Raja met President Ram Nath Kovind and sought his intervention for a solution to the ongoing farmer protests.
"We have given a memorandum to the President. We are asking to repeal agriculture laws and electricity amendment bill that were passed in an anti-democratic manner without proper discussions and consultations," said CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury after the meeting.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "We informed the President that it is absolutely critical that these anti-farmer laws are taken back," adding that PM Narendra Modi wants to hand over the "eco system of agriculture" into the hands of "his corporate friends".
Farmers' protest
After five round of failed talks, farmers on Tuesday observed a "Bharat bandh" in what is seen as a hardening of stance by farmers not to settle anything less than the withdraw of all the three laws. Several trade unions, hotel and restaurant bodies and other outfits had supported the bandh, affecting normal life in most parts of the country.
Lakhs of farmers are protesting in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh among other states against the three farm laws passed by the Parliament in September this year.
Thousands of them are camping at different borders of Delhi and have blocked several entry points into the national capital, in a bid to force the Central government to bow to their demands -- repeal of all of the three laws.
