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BIG STORY DECEMBER 03, 2021 | The Indian Eye 4

Trouble for GovT?

Farmers

WanT mOre

The government hoped to send the agitating farmers home by repealing the three farm laws. but now, the farmers are demanding a
guaranteed minimum support price for their crops. Can the government afford to accept this demand?

OuR BuREAu
New Delhi/Lucknow
he farmers agitation is far
from over. It might actually
Tbe gaining steam. On Thurs-
day, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader
Rakesh Tikait said that as many as
500 farmers will reach Delhi on 30
tractors on November 29. “We will
withdraw our protest and will go
home after the government accepts
our demand for a law on Minimum
Support Price (MSP). We don’t have
the intention to stay put at Delhi bor-
der till January 26. If the government
accepts our demand on MSP and
compensation for 750 farmers who
died during the protest, then we will
go back home,” Tikait said.
The farmers have not changed
their decision even after the Union
Cabinet approved the proposal to
withdraw the three farm laws in a
meeting on Wednesday. Prime Min- Farmers and their supporers take part in a candlelight march to commemorate their “victory” and to pay tributes to 700 farmers who lost their
ister Narendra Modi, had earlier on
last Friday, announced that the Cen- lives during their ongoing agitation against three farm laws in Amritsar (ANI)
tre will repeal the three farm laws
and bring necessary bills in the winter 2021 has been listed for introduction sponded to the letter yet. Centre hold talks and resolves their
session of Parliament beginning later and passage. It is among 26 new bills The leader said that the issues demands including a guarantee of
this month. The Prime Minister had on the agenda of the government. still remain despite the announce- Minimum Support Price (MSP) for
also announced that the government The government might have ment to repeal the farm laws. crops. Tikait was in Lucknow to at-
will constitute a committee to work backed off but the farmers are not in “The government of India did tend ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ organ-
on a new framework for Minimum a mood to relent. Rakesh Tikait on not have any conversation with us ised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha
Support Price (MSP). Thursday said that they wrote a letter after January 22 on which the last (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers
Farmers have been protesting to the Central government recent- meeting was held. Now they have unions on Monday. “It seems that
against the government’s three farm ly and alleged that the government decided to repeal the laws. But our the government does not want to
laws since the Centre had passed the does not want to talk about the Min- issues remain which include the hold discussions with the farmers af-
laws in 2020. The Farm Laws Repeal imum Support Price as it will benefit MSP, the compensation for the death ter the announcement of the rollback
Bill, 2021 seeks to repeal the Farm- farmers throughout the country. of 700 farmers, Shahid Smarak of of three farms laws. The government
ers’ Produce Trade and Commerce Addressing a press conference the dead farmers. The government should talk to us so that we can start
(Promotion and Facilitation) Act, here, Tikait said, “We wrote a letter should make a committee to ad- going to our villages,” he told the
2020, the Farmers (Empowerment to the Centre a few days ago but have dress other issues like the electricity gathering.
and Protection) Agreement of Price not received any answer yet. They amendment bill, pesticide bill and “The agitation will not stop be-
Assurance, Farm Services Act, 2020, do not want to talk about the MSP others,” he said. cause many of our issues like the
and the Essential Commodities because it will benefit the farmers On Monday, Tikait had an- MSP guarantee law, seed bill, and
(Amendment) Act, 2020. throughout the whole country. He nounced in Lucknow that the farm- milk policy are yet to be resolved.
The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, said that the government has not re- ers’ agitation will continue till the Continued at next page... >>

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