Source – NDTV
New Delhi: Farmers’ groups are meeting at one of the Delhi-Haryana borders after their meeting last night with Union Home Minister Amit Shah failed to resolve the deadlock, with both sides remaining firm on their positions. The big meeting scheduled for today with Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar – the sixth since the protests started – has been called off. Farmer leaders rejected the government’s offer to amend new farm laws, saying they would settle for nothing less than the scrapping of the legislations.
Here are the top 10 updates on farmers’ protest:
- Sources said a proposal will be sent to farm leaders today with written amendments that the government intends to carry out. The government is expected to assure that the Minimum support price (MSP) will not be ended and that it will continue, sources said, adding that there will be major changes in the mandi system and APMC (Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee) law. “We are yet to receive the proposal,” Darshanpal, a farmer leader, said.
- The farmers’ meeting is being held at the Singhu border, where thousands have been camping since the last 14 days. “We’ll strategise in our meeting and discuss their (centre’s) proposal. Farmers won’t go back. It’s a matter of their respect. Will the government not withdraw laws? Will there be tyranny? If the government is stubborn, so are farmers. The laws have to be withdrawn” Rakesh Tikait, spokesperson of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, said.
- The government is also expected to agree to drop the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020, which, according to the farmers, goes against them, sources said. The government had earlier argued that the laws are meant to monitor power distributors. TheThe government is also likely to provide provision for approaching higher courts for dispute resolution, sources said.
- With farmers camped out at busy border points of the national capital, three of the Delhi-Haryana border points – Tikri, Jharoda and Dhansa – are closed for traffic. Besides the border areas of the capital, demonstrations are also being held at a ground allocated for the farmer protests in Delhi’s outskirts.
- At least five deaths have been reported since the protests began. A 32-year-old farmer was found dead on Tuesday morning near the Delhi-Haryana border. Ajay More from Haryana’s Sonipat had been protesting along with fellow villagers for 10 days at the Singhu border. He is believed to have died due to hypothermia.
- Representatives from 24 political parties are expected to meet President Ram Nath Kovind today. Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to be part of the delegation along with Nationalist Congress chief Sharad Pawar, CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja and TR Balu.
- Opposition parties, which had objected to the farm laws in parliament, had requested the President earlier not to sign on the bills, saying they were passed in an undemocratic manner in the Rajya Sabha. The President, however, had given his assent to all three bills.
- At last night’s meeting between Mr Shah and 13 leaders of farmer unions, sources said farmers’ unions were given a presentation on the bills and a proposal will be sent to farm leaders today with written amendments that the government intends to carry out.
- “Amit Shah-ji asked us to tell him what issues we have. We said that stage has passed and asked for the (farm) laws to be repealed. Amit Shah offered the clauses – that we are not okay with – can be amended. However, we refused amendments,” Dr farmer leader Darshanpal told NDTV this morning.
- Thousands of farmers, who have braved water cannons, tear gas and police barricades, began their protest against the farm laws, aimed at doing away with middlemen and allowing them to sell produce anywhere in the country. Farmers say the laws will deprive them of the minimum prices fixed by the government and leave them at the mercy of corporates.
Photograph Credits : Reuters