Seemingly exasperated more than the obduracy displayed by the agitating farmer unions regardless of the conciliatory give to place the 3 farm laws in abeyance for 18 months, the Centre on Friday hardened its stance and conveyed to the unions that it can not yield any more, causing additional uncertainty more than when and how the eight-week-extended strike will finish.
With the farmer groups clinging to the maximalist position that nothing at all significantly less than the abrogation of the laws would be acceptable to them, each sides could not even make a decision on the date of the next round of talks.
Addressing the media just after a 5-hour, 11th round meeting with farmer leaders, in which confabulations essentially occurred for just half an hour, agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated: “The government has been talking to farmers since October and made several proposals (to resolve the impasse) with a view to allaying their fears and apprehensions. We have requested them to consider the last proposal to hold back the implementation of the laws for 12-18 months, which is a better proposal (than all others) and continue the discussions by forming a committee. If the people (who spearhead the agitation) really want the farmers to benefit, they would have definitely accepted our proposal.”
The minister, sounding vexed, added: “Some people, who are used to oppose all good works, are creating misunderstanding between government and farmers…they are using the current protest for their own political benefits. Due to this, we have not been able to reach any conclusion. I am disappointed.”
According to sources, Friday’s meeting began more than one particular-and-half-hour behind schedule and inside 15 minutes just after it began, the panel of 3 ministers left the space just after asking the farmer leaders to make a decision on their stance. This was regardless of the truth that the unions had communicated their choice to reject the government’s give to hold back the laws. When the ministers did not return for extended, farmer leaders went for lunch and the post-lunch meeting got delayed. When the ministers returned to the space in the evening, the meeting lasted for about 5-10 minutes and Tomar thanked all farmer leaders for the participation in the talks so far. He lamented that regardless of the greatest achievable give the government could have, other than repeal of laws, the farmer leaders have not agreed. He also conveyed that no date will be fixed for the next round of meeting.
During the short discussion in the pre-lunch session, Tomar is learnt to have stated that the government is prepared to type two separate committees, one particular on farm laws and one more on legal assure of the minimum assistance value (MSP) in which farmer unions will also have representation. This proposal was also turned down by the union leaders.
“We want a permanent mechanism and the holding back of laws is a temporary arrangement. Why can’t the laws be repealed?” asked Rajinder Singh of Kirti Kisan Union. “We are yet to see the Swaminathan committee formula on MSP (C2+50%) is accepted by the government even after 15 years passed after its report was given,” Singh stated, expressing doubts about the efficacy of such panels.
Farmer leaders who have held many rounds of talks with the Delhi Police on Wednesday and Thursday have reiterated that they will not withdraw their strategy to take out a tractor rally on the Republic Day, on the outer ring road of Delhi. The Delhi Police is however to permit the rally.
Some farmer leaders on the situation of anonymity stated they had not anticipated such a stand from the government and there was a “surprise element” in it. They had been expecting some negotiation to take location on the proposal so that they could have bargained. But the panel of ministers, which contains commerce and meals minister Piyush Goyal and minister for state for commerce Som Prakash, was in no mood to continue the dialogue, stated a farmer leader who was present in the meeting. Tomar also expressed his displeasure that the farmer unions had produced their choice to reject the give public even prior to Friday’s talks.
A statement issued by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of the agitating unions, had stated on Thursday: “In a full general body meet, the proposal put forth by the government yesterday was rejected. A full repeal of the three central farm Acts and enacting a legislation for remunerative MSP for all farmers was reiterated as the pending demands of the movement.”
On January 12, the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of the farm laws and asked a committee constituted by it to submit its report inside two months.