The 10th round of talks between the Centre and the farmers’ unions seems to have made some headway with the former on Wednesday offering to put on hold the three newly legislated farm laws for one and a half years.
The farmers’ unions later told the media-persons that they would hold discussion among themselves and reply to the Centre on January 22. Reports said that the farmers’ bodies would be holding a significant meeting in this regard on Jan 21.
The Centre’s decision in fact came after the Supreme Court on January 12 stayed the three farm laws and constituted a four-member Committee in this regard. Later one of the members of the panel Bhupendra Singh Mann quit it stating that he would not go against the interest of farmers as well as Punjab.
The Committee, which has now only three members, met for the first time in Delhi on Jan 19. One of the members Anil Ghanwat told the media that they would be meeting with the farmers on Jan 21. It is to be seen whether the farmers turn up or not.
The agitating farmers, however, said that the 10th round of talks too have failed to yield any result and said that their movement would continue till any final decision is taken in this regard. Their leaders told the media that they would be carrying on their agitation till the government totally repeals the three laws and assures a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price. Regarding Wednesday’s government offer they said that the Centre is under pressure and wants the farmers to lift their dharna before January 26.
Meanwhile, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde, on Wednesday once again refused to issue any order on the Jan 26 Tractor Rally of the farmers though the Attorney General K K Venugopal cited the example of Karnal where the Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s public meeting was targeted by a large number of farmers a few days back.
