Updated: December 23, 2020 7:01:15 pm
Farmers block a road on the Ghazipur border during their ongoing turmoil in New Delhi.
While the Center remains closed in a showdown with farmers, whose protest against the new farm laws is now in its fourth week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with farmers from six states on Friday. On the occasion, Prime Minister Modi will digitally deposit a total of Rs 18,000 crore into the bank accounts of nine crore farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.
“Farmers will share their experiences with PM-KISAN and also on various other initiatives taken by the government for the well-being of farmers,” the PMO said in a statement. The Union Minister of Agriculture, Narendra Singh Tomar, will also be present on the occasion.
The scope of the PM arrives even when farmers’ unions urged the Center to “abandon their stubbornness” and carry on the discussion with “open mind and neat intention.” So far, there has been no progress after five rounds of talks between the government and farmers’ unions, who have argued that their demand for repeal of the three farm laws was “non-negotiable.” On Tuesday, Tomar urged farmers to decide on a date for the talks two days after his ministry invited farm unions to discuss further.
Avoid stubbornness, lead the discussion with an ‘open mind’: farmers
At a press conference, representatives of farmers’ unions urged the government to create an environment conducive to a fruitful dialogue. “Even the Supreme Court has said to suspend the implementation of the agricultural laws. This will lead to a better environment for conversations, ”said Shiv Kumar Kakka, National President of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh.
Yogendra Yadav from Swaraj India said the government should not repeat the amendments rejected by farmers, but rather put forward concrete proposals in writing. “The government is constantly in talks with so-called farmers’ leaders and organizations who are not associated with our movement at all. This is an attempt to break our movement. The government is dealing with protesting farmers, the way it deals with its opposition, ”he said.
Farmers block NH 9 during farmers’ protest near Ghazipur
“We urge the government not to repeat those nonsensical amendments that we have rejected, but to put forward a concrete proposal in writing so that it can become an agenda and the negotiation process can start as soon as possible,” Yadav said.
Yudhvir Singh, from Bhartiya Kisan Union, said the government’s goal was to tire the farmers to end their protest. “The way the Center is conducting this process of talks, it is clear that the government wants to delay this issue and break the morale of the protesting farmers. The government is taking our problems lightly. I advise you to be aware of this matter and find a solution soon, ”he said.
Meanwhile, several farmers marked ‘Kisan Diwas’, the anniversary of the birth of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, as he paid his tributes at Kisan Ghat while protesters on the Ghazipur border celebrated a “havan”. Farmers unions also urged people to skip a meal at ‘Kisan Diwas’ in support of the ongoing protests.
A farmer inside his tractor cart on the Gazipur, New Delhi border.
The government will continue with more reforms in the agricultural sector, says Tomar
On the other hand, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Wednesday that the government would continue with reforms in the agricultural sector, even as he reiterated that protesting farmers would soon come forward to resume their dialogue with the Center.
The minister said any unrest could be resolved only through dialogue and urged protesting unions to set a date and time for the next round of talks. “I am fully hopeful that our farmers unions will discuss… If you give a date and time, the government is ready for the next round of talks… I am hopeful that we will move towards resolving the problem. The government is willing to listen to farmers’ problems with an open heart, ”Tomar told reporters.
Separately, addressing a delegation from the NGO Confederation of Rural India (CNRI), Tomar said: “In the past six years, there have been efforts to reform the agricultural sector to a large extent. There are still many areas where reforms must be carried out ”.
Farmers read at the Singhu border protest site
Peasant leader writes letter in blood to Prime Minister Modi
The head of the Bharatiya Kisan (Lok Shakti) Union, Sheoraj Singh, wrote a bloody letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, demanding the repeal of the three new agricultural laws. “Withdraw the agricultural bill, make a law that guarantees the minimum support price (MSP) and form a kisaan aayog (farmers commission), ”he wrote in the short letter addressed to PM Modi, PTI reported.
BKU (Lok Shakti) spokesperson Shailesh Kumar Giri said the letter was handed over to the Noida administration, whose officials assured that it would be sent to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
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