Centre promises to form joint body to look into demands; unwilling to accept proposal, farmer leaders to revert after internal consultation; next talks on Jan 22
In a major climb down, the Centre has proposed that the three controversial farm laws will be kept in abeyance for a minimum of 18 months and it will form a joint committee to look into other pending demands of the agitating farmers, including repeal and legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP).
The Government proposed these initiatives in the 10th meeting between the Government and agitating farmers. But farmer leaders did not immediately accept the proposal and said they will revert after their internal consultation on Thursday.
The farmers wanted a complete withdrawal of the laws as a mere suspension of the laws for some period of time will not bring about any change, farmer leaders said on Wednesday after the 10th round of talks concluded. The next round of meetings will be held on January 22.
After the meeting which lasted for five hours, including two breaks, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Government has proposed to suspend the implementation of the three laws for 1.5 years, during which period a joint committee of representatives from the Government and farmers’ sides can discuss all issues related to the farmers’ agitation so that an appropriate solution can be arrived at and those protesting on Delhi borders in extremely cold weather return to their homes.
During the talks the farmers’ unions said they will discuss the Government’s proposal in detail and will come for dialogue on January 22.
The Minister said the talks were held in a cordial atmosphere despite some “naram-garam” moments (softening and hardening of the stand) and farmers remained adamant on their demand for the repeal of the laws. “I feel that talks are progressing in the right direction and there is a possibility of finding a resolution on January 22,” Tomar said.
After the meeting, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said, “The Government proposed to suspend the farm laws for one and a half years. We rejected the proposal but since it has come from the Government, we will meet tomorrow and deliberate over it.”
Another farmers leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said the Government appears to be on the “backfoot”. “First the 32 unions will discuss, then the matter will be taken up with organisations from across India,” he said.
Tomar, however, said the Government was keen to reach a final decision in today’s meeting on the auspicious day of Gurupurab and therefore it started with greetings for the occasion. Asked whether the proposed committee will continue alongside the SC-appointed expert panel, Tomar said, “The Government is committed to the Supreme Court and will remain so. The committee appointed by the apex court is doing its job, but the Government also has direct accountability towards farmers and the situation arising out of the protest. Therefore, we are taking forward this discussion while discharging our responsibility.”
“It will be victory for Indian democracy the day farmers’ agitation ends and they return to their homes,” he said in reply to a question whether it would be a victory for the farmers or the Government.
This is for the first time the Government has offered to keep the farm laws suspended for 1.5 to 2 years. Union Ministers had earlier urged farmers to let the laws be implemented for a few years and then decide. Sources said the Ministers also proposed that the Government is ready to give an affidavit in the Supreme Court in this regard. The laws would remain suspended till the committee gives its report and urged farmer unions to suspend their agitation till that time, sources added.
The Government on Wednesday once again offered to amend the laws as the 10th round of meetings started. The leaders stuck to their demand for a complete repeal of the laws and alleged that the Centre was avoiding discussion on a legal guarantee for MSP. In the first two sessions of the day, there was no breakthrough as the discussion went on the beaten track of amending the laws. The Government has been insisting on first discussing the three laws and wants to take up the MSP (Minimum Support Price) matter later. The Government has also advised the farmer leaders that they can go to Supreme Court for repeal of laws and the Government won’t repeal it.
During the meeting, farmers’ unions raised the issue of NIA notices being served to some farmers, alleging it was being done just to harass those supporting the agitation and arrest of three farmers in Himachal Pradesh, to which the Government representatives said they will look into the matter.
With regard to repeal, the unions presented multiple replies in Parliament by the Agriculture Minister where he has stated that agriculture, and even agriculture marketing, is a State subject. At the meeting, the unions argued that the laws are constitutional since the Centre cannot legislate on State subjects.
The meeting was held under the shadow of NIA notices and Supreme Court driven process at Vigyan Bhawan.
The meeting began at around 2.45 pm with the three Ministers greeting farmer leaders on the occasion of Gurupurab. The meeting resumed at around 5.15 pm after a lunch break, but the two sides took another break at around 6 pm. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railways, Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, who is an MP from Punjab, represented the Government point of views with 41 farmer unions at the Vigyan Bhawan. The meeting was earlier scheduled to be held on Tuesday afternoon but the Government had postponed to Wednesday.
Before the meeting, the three Ministers also met senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
