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At least 28 farmer unions in Punjab, which have been protesting the controversial new farm advertising laws, have agreed to hold discussions on the problem with the Central Agriculture Ministry in Delhi on Wednesday, after rejecting a earlier invitation simply days in the past. However, they emphasised that protests may also proceed.
Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal’s invitation to the unions to hold talks in Delhi was the set off for a lot debate and argument amongst farmer leaders at a coordination assembly in Chandigarh on Tuesday night. Some groups needed to attend to showcase their willingness to discuss to the federal government whereas others demanded that the Centre depute representatives authorised to negotiate the repeal of the laws and talk about a brand new legislation guaranteeing MSPs.
At the top of the day, most unions agreed to take part with the caveat that they won’t elevate their agitation — blocking roads and rail traces. The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait) had been among the many few hold-outs who stated they won’t attend the assembly.
“The government of India has always been serious about agriculture. Therefore, the Central government is eager to talk to you,” stated Mr. Agarwal’s invitation, which famous that the Punjab farmers have been agitating for days.
“We have accepted the invitation extended by the Agriculture Secretary for the meeting. We don’t want to give the government an excuse that we are not willing to talk on the issue, and hence we have decided to participate,” stated Jagmohan Singh, common secretary, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda).
Mr. Singh stated farmer outfits have additionally determined to proceed their ‘rail-roko’ agitation throughout the State. “It was also decided that if the Punjab government did not convene an Assembly session by October 15 to repeal the laws, we will start boycotting Congress leaders, the same way as the BJP leaders are being boycotted,” he stated.
The Jai Kisan Andolan went into Tuesday’s assembly opposed to accepting the Agriculture Secretary’s invitation. “The Secretary had first invited the farmer groups for a meeting on October 8 to educate us about the benefits of the new laws, and that was unanimously rejected by all the unions. This second invite has omitted that language and simply invites us for discussions,” stated nationwide convenor Avik Saha.
“But we have three demands: we will come only if you are willing to discuss scrapping the laws and enacting a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Prices (MSP), and we want to talk to someone who is actually authorised to negotiate by the Cabinet.” However, by the top of the day, JKA’s Punjab unit had agreed to meet Mr. Agarwal alongside with the opposite unions, although it reiterated its calls for.
The Agriculture Secretary’s letter was despatched to 29 groups, of which eight name themselves a faction of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, the group initially based by iconic farmer chief Chaudhary Charan Singh. The faction named after the western Uttar Pradesh chief Mahendra Singh Tikait claims it’s the solely registered BKU and insists it is not going to participate within the discuss.
“This is only an eyewash by the Central government. After the laws have been passed and signed by the President, what is the point of calling farmers for discussion when you did not listen to us before? In our opinion, it is meaningless and we will not take part,” stated Yudhvir Singh, common secretary of the BKU (Tikait). “We will continue to protest not only in Punjab and Haryana but also across the country and demand a law to ensure MSP and improvements to the existing mandi system.”
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