NEW DELHI: The government on Monday invited protesting farmers’ unions to dialogue on December 30 to end the stalemate on the three new farm laws. The previous five rounds of talks between the government and farmers have failed to break the stalemate on contentious legislation, and the turmoil is now entering its second month.
These are the key developments of the day:
The government invites farmers to dialogue
The Center has written to 40 protesting farmers’ unions and invited them to the next round of discussions on December 30 at 2 pm in Vigyan Bhawan. He said he is committed to finding a logical solution to all relevant issues raised by farmers.
The government’s response came two days after the farmers wrote to the Center and expressed their willingness to hold discussions on four general issues. Farmers had offered to hold the meeting on December 29.
In its letter today, the government agreed to hold discussions on the issue of the Minimum Price of Support, as well as the laws related to stubble burning and the Electricity Amendment Bill.
‘False narratives’
As the month-long stalemate continues, the government said today that protesting farmers had been misled about the new laws.
Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Monday that a “wall of lies” has spread in a “planned way” among farmers, but that it will not last long and protesting peasants will soon realize the truth.
The minister reiterated that he hopes to find an early solution to end the stalemate.
Niti Aayog Vice President Rajiv Kumar said that “false narratives” about the laws are doing significant harm to the interests of farmers, as well as the economy in general.
He also expressed disappointment at the change in position of some economists on the new legislation.
“Any argument that these measures (the new Center agricultural laws) will open farmers to exploitation by large corporations is completely false because the government has ensured the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to all farmers on a variety of crops, “he told PTI in an interview.
He stressed that, of course, the way forward is to continue negotiations with protesting farmers.
Punjab investigates whether farmers sabotaged telecom infrastructure
Punjab authorities are investigating whether protesting farmers were disrupting power supplies to hundreds of telecommunications towers, a state official said Monday.
“We have told the police to track down everyone involved in the sabotage of infrastructure,” a senior Punjab government official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
A senior Punjab state police official said power supplies were disrupted at several telecommunications towers in the state, mainly those owned by Jio, the telecommunications arm of Reliance Industries.
So far, farmers protesting the Center’s farm laws have reportedly damaged or broke the power lines of more than 1,330 telecommunications towers in the state.
Leaders of 25 farmers’ organizations meet in Tomar
Representatives from about 25 farmers’ organizations delivered a memo to Tomar on Monday in support of the new farm laws.
“Today, representatives from different farmers’ organizations across the country issued a memorandum in support of the new agricultural bills and said that these are in the interest of farmers and should not be withdrawn. They also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Toma said on Twitter. .
Anna Hazare threatens to launch ‘last protest’
Social activist Anna Hazare has threatened to go on a hunger strike if the government does not comply with her demands on farmer issues by the end of January next year. He said it would be his “last protest.”
Speaking to reporters in his Ralegaon Siddhi village in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, Hazare said on Sunday that he had been holding protests for growers for the past three years, but that the government had done nothing to solve the problems.
“The government is only giving empty promises so I have no confidence left (in the government) … Let’s see, what action does the Center take on my demands. They’ve been looking for time for a month, so I’ve given Until the end of January. If my demands are not met, I will resume my largest strike protest. This would be my last protest, “said the 83-year-old.
Opposition offensive continues
Meanwhile, opposition parties across India continued to pressure the government to repeal all three laws.
Supporting protesting farmers in Delhi, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan said on Monday that any country that “does not respect agriculture will fall.”
“A country that does not respect agriculture will fall. I think that should not happen to our country. They (farmers) are the annadata (food providers),” Haasan said.
Congressional leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the Center should listen to protesting farmers and withdraw the new laws.
“To say that the farmers’ protest is a political conspiracy is totally wrong. It is a sin to use the kind of words they are using for farmers. The government is accountable to farmers. The government must listen to them and repeal the laws,” she said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed her solidarity with farmers and said the Center should withdraw “draconian” farm laws.
The Madhya Pradesh Congressional MLAs led by the head of the state unit Kamal Nath held a silent protest on Monday in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Assembly premises here.
Kerala to hold a one-day assembly session on agricultural laws
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday gave his consent to convene the state assembly for a special one-day session on December 31 to discuss and pass a resolution against farm laws.
The CPM-led LDF government had sent a proposal to the governor to convene the assembly after having rejected an earlier recommendation.
The session will last one hour and will begin at 9 am, sources from the assembly said.
PM Modi points to the 100th ‘Kisan Rail’
As the farmers protest Continuing on the outskirts of the national capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialed “Kisan Rail” number 100 from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal on Monday via videoconference.
While dedicating the facilities to farmers, the prime minister said that his government will continue to work to strengthen farmers and the agricultural sector with all its strength and dedication.
“Kisan Rail has greatly empowered the small and marginal farmers who make up 80 percent of the peasantry in the country,” he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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