Another round of meeting between the Central Government and the farmers’ representatives went fruitless.
The meeting which started at 2:00 P.M., on the 4th of January, were inconclusive.
The farmers’ representatives demanded the government to repeal the three farm laws in the meeting today.
Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash along with government officials and representatives of farmers also observed a two-minute silence for farmers who died during the ongoing protest.
After the meeting, Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) said that farmers, who are protesting for over a month against three agriculture laws at different borders of the national capital will not go back until the Acts are repealed.
Mr. Rakesh said, “Discussion took place on our demands — repeal of the three laws and MSP… Kannon wapasi nahi, to ghar wapasi nahi (We will not go home until the laws are withdrawn.)”
Earlier, Mr. Tikait claimed that 60 farmers have so far lost their lives during the ongoing agitation. He further said that one farmer is dying every 16 hours and it is the responsibility of the government to give an answer.
The next meeting regarding the ongoing protest and three farm laws is scheduled on the 8th of January.
The agitation against the three laws started in September, after the Central Government proposed the laws in the Parliament.
The Parliament passed the three laws – The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 – amid large scale protests from the Opposition and farmer unions.
According to the passed bills, the Minimum Support Price (MSP,) area of trading would be under the purview of the Indian Government
The reason behind the farmers protest is their fear of being at the mercy of corporates or zamindars for crop prices. The new bills would also demolish the Minimum Support Price (MSP) advantages for farmers.
