Farmer Leaders Reject Govt's Draft Proposal, Threaten To Intensify Stir If New Agri Laws Not Repealed

Farmer leaders have rejected the draft proposal sent by Centre after holding discussion over the same at Singhu border.

Representatives of farmer organizations take part in a meeting regarding the Centre's farm reform laws, near Singhu border in New Delhi. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: As thousands of farmers continue with their protest against the contentious farm laws sitting at various borders of the national capital, Centre on Wednesday sent a draft of proposal on some key concerns raised by the protesters. As per reports, the draft proposal was sent to 13 farm union leaders including Joginder Singh Urgrahan of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), one of the biggest among nearly 40 agitating unions. However, farmer leaders have rejected the draft proposal sent by Centre after holding discussion over the same at Singhu border. "We reject the government's proposals," Darshan Pal, President of Krantikari Kisan Union said while addressing farmers at Sighu border.

We will block Delhi-Jaipur highway by 12th December: Farmer leaders at Singhu (Delhi-Haryana border)#FarmLaws https://t.co/YvWMeVdxW5

— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2020

The proposal, sources claim, was discussed by the protesting farmers and their union leaders at Singhu border (Dehi-Haryana border). "We are now going to hold discussions on the proposal sent by Government of India," Manjeet Singh, BKU State President had said. Farmers reaction on govt's draft proposal on farm laws After rejecting government's proposal on new farm laws, farmer leaders said that they will block Delhi-Jaipur highway by December 12. "Farmer unions have received the draft proposal from the government," Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said earlier today. He is one of the many union leaders participating in the ongoing negotiations with the government. However, it looks like the agitating farmers are in no mood to soften their stand and continued with their demand to repeal the three farm laws passed by the Central government earlier this year. "All three farm laws should be repealed. This is our demand. If the proposal talks of only amendments then we will reject it," said Kanwalpreet Singh Pannu of the Kisan Sangharsh Committee while speaking to news agency ANI. Meanwhile, with Centre-farmer talks ending in a stalemate, thousands of farmers stayed put at Delhi borders even on Wednesday to press for repeal of the agri marketing laws. Amit Shah's attempt to resolve deadlock A meeting called by Home Minister Amit Shah ended in failure on Tuesday night as farmer leaders rejected the government's offer to amend new farm laws, saying they would settle for nothing less than the scrapping of the three legislation. The sixth round of talks between the government and farmer unions to end the protests on Delhi's various borders, which was scheduled on Wednesday, has been cancelled. This came after many farm leaders had threatened to boycott the talks if their demands were not met. As the protests continued, traffic was disrupted at border points with farmers agitating on the the Singhu, TIkri and Ghazipur borders of Delhi. Govt during Round 5 talks In the previous meeting on December 5, Agriculture Minister Narender Singh Tomar had assured 40 farmer union leaders that the government is open to considering ways to strengthen APMC mandis, create a level-playing field with proposed private markets, and provide a provision for approaching higher courts for dispute resolution, while asserting that procurement at minimum support price (MSP) will continue. On December 7, a group of 20 progressive farmers from Haryana submitted to the government a memorandum demanding that the government consider amendments as suggested by the protesting farmers unions but not repeal them. Tomar had told these progressive farmers backing these legislations that these measures will benefit the peasantry and the agriculture sector and that the government will handle such agitations.