Farmers protesting the center’s new agricultural laws held two meetings today between themselves
New Delhi:
Farmers protesting the controversial new farm laws warned the center not to try to sow discord in its ranks and stressed that, contrary to the narrative some members of the ruling BJP are pushing, their campaign was not limited to Punjab farmers. The farmers also said their protests would continue unless the center remembered the “black” laws and said a special session of Parliament should be called to do just that. The remarks come after two meetings between various farmers’ unions before a fourth round of talks with the center tomorrow. The farmers’ protest has seen thousands camping in and around Delhi and threatening to cut off road access to the national capital unless their voices are heard and their concerns are addressed.
Here are the top 10 updates on the farmers’ protest:
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“The government tried to show that this is just the farmers’ movement in Punjab. The government tried to divide us,” Dr. Darshan Pal, president of the Krantikari Kisan Union, told reporters in Singhu on the Delhi-Haryana border. . “We will continue our agitation until the three agricultural laws are repealed. The center should convene a special session of Parliament to repeal the new agricultural laws,” he added.
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“We have also decided that farmer leaders from across the country, not just from Punjab, should be called into talks. On December 5 we will hold a nationwide protest and burn effigies of the Narendra Modi government and corporate houses,” Pal said. , adding that two days later, Punjab sportsmen and athletes, who had received national awards, would return them in protest.
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“We will burn effigies in all districts of Maharashtra tomorrow and December 5 in Gujarat to protest. Tomorrow is the last chance for the government to make a decision to repeal the laws, otherwise this movement will become huge and the government will fall. . “Pratibha Shinde from Lok Sangharsh Morcha, was quoted by the ANI news agency. The farmers of UP and Haryana, ruled by BJP, have also spoken.
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Soon after, the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar called on farmers to continue discussions. “Let’s see to what extent the problems can be solved … the laws are in your interest and the reforms have been made after a long wait, but if you have any objections then we are ready to address your concerns,” Tomar said. said.
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Earlier today, 32 groups of farmers gathered in Singhu after the center asked for written details of “specific issues” related to the Farm Reform Laws. At a subsequent press conference, the farmers noted that a list of objections “in the form of clauses” had been presented to the center in October. “But tomorrow it will be written again,” said a peasant leader.
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After the first meeting, the farmers, who have been protesting for more than three months, seemed disappointed with the response from the center. “Going through yesterday’s meeting, we don’t think the government is in the mood to withdraw the laws. The government wants farmers to fight each other,” said one leader.
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On Tuesday, after a first meeting with union ministers since thousands of farmers marched to Delhi last week, a new proposal from the center to form a five-member committee to move the talks forward was rejected. Farmers told the center that such efforts had failed in the past and that “now is not the time for committees.”
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The meeting, in which the Minister of Railways, Piyush Goyal, and the Minister of Industry, Som Parkash participated, did not produce any progress, as did the previous two. Sources have said that the government is unlikely to withdraw the laws, so it is necessary for the two sides to reach a compromise of some kind for the protest to end.
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Farmers camp in five locations around Delhi, with trailers full of food, water, medicine and essentials, underscoring their determination to see this through to the end. Thousands more are expected to join; Gwalior farmers in Madhya Pradesh have headed for Delhi, ANI reported.
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The protests have affected traffic to and from Delhi. Roads connecting the city to Noida in UP, specifically the Kalindi Kunj route, have been affected. On Wednesday night, Delhi police said it had been reopened, but the Chilla crossing is partially closed. Police are also ready to close the key Delhi-Noida-Delhi Expressway if necessary.
With contributions from ANI
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