After more than a month and five rounds of cold talk, there was some conciliation and progress in resolving the standoff, and much more cordiality between the farmers’ unions and the government on Wednesday.
For the first time, there were some conclusions: a perceptible change in gesture on the part of the government, and some positive result that opens more space for further discussion and resolution.
If Interior Minister Rajnath Singh praised the Sikh community in general, and farmers in particular, in an interview with the ANI news agency early Wednesday, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and his colleagues Piyush Goyal and Som Prakash shared langar food during lunch hours during the meeting. .
There was a ‘mutual consensus’ on two demands from farm unions raised in previous rounds of talks: the exclusion of farmers from the scope of the NCR air quality ordinance and the changes to the provisions of the Electricity Bill that guarantee the security of energy subsidy.
These are not directly related to the three farm laws, but have caused anxiety among farmers. The government and farm unions agreed to discuss the remaining two items on the farmers’ proposed four-point agenda. These two are related to the repeal of agricultural laws and the legal guarantee of the Minimum Price of Support.
Rajnath Singh set the tone for the day long before the meeting began at 2.30pm on Wednesday. He disapproved of the use of comments such as “Naxals” or “Khalistanis” made by some of his party and ministerial colleagues against farmers. “No one should make accusations against the Sikh community and farmers,” he said.
His colleagues Tomar, Goyal and Som Prakash, who led the government side in the talks, shared langar food brought in for the Gurudwara farmer leaders. The latter reciprocated and the government served chai-samosa. Previously, farmers had refused to eat lunch served by the government.
While the concessions agreed to with the government may not be considered substantial by farmers who were stuck in repealing farm laws and installing the MSP into the law, Wednesday’s progress provided a ray of hope.
New Delhi: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar interacts with a farmer representative at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, Wednesday, December 30, 2020 (PTI Photo / Shahbaz Khan) (PTI12_30_2020_000170A)
Section 14 (1) of the air quality ordinance provides prison terms of up to five years and fines of up to Rs 1 million or both for acts that contribute to pollution. Farmers feared that this provision could be used against them for stubble burning. The government will have to modify the law to exempt farmers from the new law.
The second lawsuit on which both parties have agreed is related to certain provisions of the electricity reform bill. The bill seeks to amend Section 62 and Section 65 of the Electricity Act of 2003. The proposed provision establishes that the Appropriate Commission will set the rates for the retail sale of electricity without accounting for the subsidy, which, if any, of In accordance with section 65 of the Act, it will be provided by the government directly to the consumer. The bill is in the draft stage so proposed changes can be rewritten.
Speaking to the Indian Express, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha leader Darshan Pal said there was a “positive” discussion about the repeal of the three laws.
“The government gave several alternatives, including the formation of a committee. But finally, they (the government side) asked us to suggest something, which should not have the word repeal, and on which both sides can reach an agreement. We told them that we will discuss it and speak with our attorney, ”Pal told The Indian Express.
Bodh Singh Mansa, president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Mansa), said the government had accepted two demands. “The government is seriously considering the other two issues. These will be resolved at the meeting on January 4, “he said.
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