New Delhi: Protesting farmer unions Tuesday wrote to the Centre on the talks scheduled between the two sides on Wednesday, saying the discussion will only be on the modalities of repealing the three legislations, giving a legal guarantee on the MSP, and on two other issues they proposed earlier this week for a resumption of the dialogue.
The government has invited the protesting farmers for the sixth round of talks on Wednesday.
In its letter on Tuesday, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which represents 40 farmer unions, said the modalities for repealing the three contentious laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) must be part of the agenda for the talks.
The Morcha further said the agenda of the meeting should also include amendments to be made and notified in the Commission for the Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2020 to exclude farmers from its penal provisions.
Through the letter, the Morcha also formally accepted the government’s invitation for the dialogue.
The letter also stated that withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 to protect the interests of farmers should also be part of the agenda for the dialogue.
The farmers had also written to the government on December 26 listing the agenda for talks.
In the latest letter, the Morcha pointed out that in its December 26 communication to the government, it had mentioned “changes” by mistakes instead of “withdrawal” in the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020.
Meanwhile, also on Tuesday farmer unions deferred to Thursday their proposed tractor march against the contentious agriculture laws, so that the rally does not clash with their talks with the government.
Thousands of protesting farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at three Delhi border points — Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri — for the past 31 days, demanding a repeal of three farm laws and legal guarantee for minimum support price.
On Monday, farmer leaders agreed to the government proposal for holding the next round of talks on the new agricultural laws on December 30, but remained firm on their agenda of scrapping the laws.
Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.
However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of the MSP and do away with the “mandi” (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.
Also read: Why the farmers’ protest is led by Sikhs of Punjab
In a functioning society, these goons masquerading as farmers would have been arrested and thrown into jail for disrupting the lives and livelihoods of others.
Noone can hold society to ransom in pursuit of their narrow interests. Even if it is farmers, soldiers, doctors or government servants they have right to protest without impacting wider society. Blocking roads, rail traffic is pure blackmail which no civil society can accept. In this grave situation of Covid not following social distancing and yet mingling with generally public by greelyy travelling to nearby villages is morally, ethically wrong as it puts others at risk. If this is allowed any group can gather people and whatever they want to do
Demands of protesters are also not reasonable as it is going to cost lakhs of crores it all of them are accepted. Protest is driven by large cash rich farmers, middleman & traders who have vested interest in ensuring that current system which has exploited farmers who are paid less than 1/4th of retail price. All profits are garnered by middleman with farmers getting subsistence price and consumers paying high price for food.
Government also spends few lakh crores ( much more than any rich nation ) which again is cornered by these vested interests who fleece poor and marginal farmers. On top of that few lakh crores are spent to stock, distribute them by employing army of highly paid corrupt public/government employees. Add in money given through subsidies, cheaper loans, free electricity, water, seeds, insurance, subsidised farm equipments nation is already spending huge money than on any other head. If spending under all heads are taken huge chunk of government budget(nearly 50% if not more) is spent on paying government employees & pensioners along with subsidies, loans and support for agriculture. Developing nation like India cant spend any further.
Already retail price paid by consumers in India is far higher than what a consumer in rich western nations are paying.
Farmers should look at productivity improvement, cost reduction, mechanisation, reducing chemicals/fertilisers, crop diversification, value addition by making end-products, involve in marketing &direct selling, form cooperatives to pool resources, efficient usage of water, involve in allied activities like livestock, animal husbandry to reduce cost and boost income instead of asking more money from government which will bankrupt economy.
No country can keep on subsidizing and paying nearly 2/3rd of population and certainly there are limits to what a developing economy like India can sustain. Where will that huge money come from if not cannibalising on health, education, defence, infrastructure spending by government which is must if we want to improve our economy. All harebrained headline catching ideas like avoid spending on statues, parliament building are good for headlines as we won’t be saving much.