Chandigarh, December 1
The Punjab-based farmers body Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) declined to participate in a meeting called by the Center on farm laws on Tuesday, demanding that representatives of all farmers’ unions be invited to the talks.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had invited farmers’ union leaders to the talks on Monday, instead of December 3, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and cold.
Thousands of farmers stayed at various Delhi border points for the sixth day in a row on Tuesday protesting against the new farm laws, which they fear will dismantle the minimum support price system and corporateize agriculture.
KMSC is one of 32 Punjab farmer organizations invited to dialogue with the Center.
“A committee of various farmers’ bodies has not been invited and furthermore, the prime minister will not hold this meeting. For these reasons, KMSC will not attend the meeting,” said KMSC Secretary General Sarwan Singh Pandher.
Pandher accused the government of trying to divide protesting farmers by not inviting all farmers’ unions.
“If 32 farmers ‘organizations based in Punjab have been invited, there is also a committee representing about 500 farmers’ organizations, which should have been invited as well,” he said.
“By not inviting all the farmers ‘bodies, they are trying to divide the farmers’ organizations. If we attend the meeting, it will be presumed that this agitation (against farm laws) is only taking place in Punjab, which could be the conspiracy of the Center, “he said.
Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that these agricultural laws are in the interest of the agricultural community, Pandher said: “He (the prime minister) already gave his decision before the meeting. And now, no minister can go in against the prime minister. ” PTI
