The ongoing farmer protests that besieged the national capital entered their 15th day on Thursday, a day after farmers rejected the Center’s final proposal for amendments to the three farm laws and announced a larger move. The stalemate is likely to continue as there are no more meetings scheduled between farmers and the Center.
More protesters will join the agitators from farmers starting today and according to their plan, the Delhi-Jaipur highway will be blocked on December 12. On December 14 there will be a national protest.
Now that the protest faces a dead end, with no communication from the Center after the farmers rejected its proposal, there is speculation about a rift between the farmers’ unions who have rejected. More than 30 farmers’ unions are leading the protest and rumors of a split began circulating the day union leaders were summoned for a meeting with the union’s interior minister, Amit Shah. It was decided that the meeting would be held at Shah’s residence and consequently some leaders arrived at his residence at the indicated time. But later the meeting moved to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Two leaders reportedly left the meeting due to confusion, but later joined.
“We made decisions unanimously. It is about consensus and not the majority … it cannot be that some people agree and others do not. If all the unions say that the laws should be eliminated, that is our decision … It is not about having a personal opinion, ”said Shiv Kumar, dismissing speculation of a breakup.
“In the five meetings with the farmers’ unions, the government had marathon discussions on the same points (that were in the proposal). Finally, we asked them (the government) to answer ‘yes or no’ … if they want to repeal the three new laws and guarantee the MSP or not. “Kakka said.
Where is the protest now?
The leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Jagmohan Singh, said peasant leaders are open to continuing the dialogue. “We will go to the meeting if the government invites us, but our demand must be satisfied. It has become a mass movement. We cannot return to our villages empty-handed, ”he said. Farmers can send a rejoinder to the Center.
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