The leaders of the farmers’ organisations also held talks on 4 concerns with the government on Wednesday, of which the government has accepted two demands when the other two, withdrawal of the 3 laws and legal assure for minimum assistance price tag (MSP), are nonetheless to be addressed.
‘Only 5% concerns discussed’
Addressing a press conference at the Singhu border protest website, representatives of farmer unions stated that only 5 per cent of the concerns raised by them have so far been discussed in meetings with the government.
After the talks involving 3 union ministers and a 41-member representative group of thousands of farmers protesting on Delhi borders, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated at least 50 per cent resolution has been reached with mutual agreement on two out of 4 things on the agenda and discussions would continue on the remaining two on January 4 at 2 PM.
‘Cannot make us leave this location like they did in Shaheen Bagh’
Farmer leader Yudhveer Singh stated if the central government thinks the farmers’ protest will go the Shaheen Bagh way, then it is mistaken. “They (government) cannot make us leave this place like they did in Shaheen Bagh,” he stated.
Hundreds of protesters had camped at Shaheen Bagh for various months against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and later, the website was cleared by the Delhi Police following the coronavirus-induced lockdown in March final year.
Intensified protest
Farmer unions warned that they will commence shutting all malls and petrol pumps in Haryana if the government fails to resolve their key demands for the repeal of 3 new farm laws and a legal assure for MSP in the January 4 meeting.
At the press conference, farmer leaders created it clear that they will have to take firm methods if the government does not take a choice in their favour in the January 4 meeting.
They outlined many protest actions more than a month if their key demands are not met, in an announcement a handful of days just before Republic Day celebrations.
“If the January 4 meeting with the government fails to end the deadlock, we will announce dates for shutting all malls, petrol pumps in Haryana,” a farmer leader told reporters.