Drawing the hard line to press for the repeal of the new agriculture laws, farmer unions Thursday rejected the Centre’s offer to keep the laws in abeyance for 18 months and form a joint committee to address grievances.
The unions, scheduled to return to the talks table Friday, were virtually split down the middle at a meeting to discuss the Centre’s offer. Sources told The Indian Express that of the 32 unions from Punjab, more than a dozen were in favour of accepting the offer, but the majority vote carried the resolution to reject the offer.
A statement on behalf of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of organisations spearheading the protest, released by Darshan Pal of Krantikari Kisan Union, stated: “In a full general body meeting of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha today, the proposal put forth by the Government yesterday was rejected. A full repeal of three central farm acts and enacting legislation for remunerative MSP for all farmers were reiterated as the pending demands of the movement.”
The Morcha, the statement said, “pays homage to the 143 farmers who have been martyred in this movement so far… Their sacrifice will not go in vain and we will not go back without the repealing of these farm laws”.
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It referred to a meeting with Delhi Police officers earlier in the day and said while police had requested the farmers not to conduct a tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day, they had reiterated that they intend to go ahead with their plan of a parade on the Outer Ring Road of Delhi.
Maintaining that their protest was becoming a “people’s movement… nationwide”, the Morcha said farmers were uniting in Karnataka, many parts of Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Bilaspur and Rampur in Uttarakhand. “Farmers, labourers and common people under the leadership of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan are reaching Shahjahanpur border. Protests against neo-liberal policies are being conducted through puppets shows and songs,” it said.
source:theindianexpress
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