Key points:
- The government is leaning on its new reform plan for better crop prices as well as higher farm sector investment.
- The protesting farmers, who appealed for a nationwide strike on Tuesday.
- We have rejected the proposed amendments. It was agreed by all members of the delegation to remain quiet.
Just after the fifth round of talks among their leaders as well as Union ministers failed to break the stalemate, farmers continued their sit-in protests on Sunday against three farm laws implemented by the government.
The 11th day of protest:
Farmers were seen at the Delhi Singhu border with Haryana and also at the Nirankari Samagam Ground throughout the Burari region of the national capital, marking the 11th day of their strike.
Given the protest against the farm laws, Delhi Traffic Police have closed as many as seven borders for any traffic movement, including Mangesh, Tikri, Jharoda Singh, Auchandi, Lampur, Piao Maniyari.
As officially stated:
On Saturday, during the talks, Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Railways, Food and Consumer Affairs Piyush Goyal, as well as Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, offered to make four major amendments to the collection of farm laws. However, no written material was submitted, an official stated.
However, the farmers did not consider any amendments as well as requested that the laws be repealed.
Nationwide strike on Tuesday?
The protesting farmers, who appealed for a nationwide strike on Tuesday, will meet again on Wednesday with the central leadership to find a consensus.
While the government is leaning on its new reform plan for better crop prices as well as higher farm sector investment, farmers say reforms approved by Parliament in September will allow large corporations to take advantage of them.
Kavitha Kuruganti of the Women’s Farmers’ Rights Committee:
At one point, Kavitha Kuruganti of the Women’s Farmers’ Rights Committee, a delegate, stalled the talks on Saturday as farmers carried out a silent protest on their seats during the discussions.
“We have rejected the proposed amendments. It was agreed by all members of the delegation to remain quiet. There was an effort on the government side to draw us out. There was absolute silence on our part,’ said Kuruganti.
Rakesh Tikait stated:
Rakesh Tikait, the leader of the powerful Bharatiya Kisan Union, said that farmers showed placards requesting the government to say yes or no to the demand for the full removal of the rules (Tikait faction).
Agriculture Minister Tomar stated:
Agriculture Minister Tomar added the government had pursued more time from the farmers to come up with a concrete proposal” as well as “written suggestions” that would help advance the talks.
