Farmers call it ‘delaying tactic'
New Delhi, December 24: A day after farmer unions demanded concrete proposals in writing, the Centre on Thursday again invited them for talks, reiterating its readiness for discussion on all issues.
However, just like his letter dated December 20, Joint Secretary Vivek Aggarwal neither mentioned the time nor date of the proposed meeting. Effectively throwing the ball in the court of farmers, he said the meeting with “high-level ministerial panel” will take place in the Vigyan Bhawan at the time and date of their choice.
Amid the ongoing to and fro with the Centre, ‘jathebandis' and farmers' unions rejected the letter, calling it yet another “delaying tactic” by the government. Leaders said unions will hold a meeting to decide further course on the latest offer, which while repeating what is already there in public domain also talked of a written assurance on the MSP “even though that is not a part of the three laws”.
Interestingly, this time the letter was addressed to the 40 unions of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and not just the president of the Krantikari Kisan Union Darshan Pal, the main addressee of Aggarwal's previous letter.
Braving harsh cold, thousands of agitating farmers at the Delhi borders remained steadfast in their demands to repeal the Centre's three new laws. The Centre, which too is firm that the laws will not be scrapped, says it is ready to make any amendments ‘jathebandis' and unions want. The reason why it is not specifying the time and date is because the government wants to accord the “privilege of deciding that on farmers”, BJP leaders say.
However, demanding a total repeal of the laws, farmers are accusing the government of “playing games with them”. Jagmohan Singh Patiala, general secretary of BKU (Dakaunda), called today's letter “as confusing as the previous letter”. “The government was earlier playing meeting-meeting with us and is now playing letter-letter with farmers,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangh from Baghpat “extended support to the government” on the three Acts. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mega outreach to farmers on the birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee tomorrow, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said its leaders told him that “the government should not come under any pressure regarding the three laws brought by PM Modi to bring prosperity in their lives ”. In fact there were also reports of protests in their favour from some spots near Delhi.
Giving details of tomorrow's programme, senior leader Arun Singh said “farmers across the country, barring a couple of places, are happy with the reforms, have faith in PM Modi's decisions”. “More than one crore farmers will participate in various programmes being organised at more than 19,000 places across the country while five crore farmers will listen to PM Modi when he speaks at 12 noon tomorrow,” he said.
PM Modi will release the next instalment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) on December 25, which is observed as the ‘Susashan Divas'. “With the push of a button, the Prime Minister will enable the transfer of more than Rs 18,000 crore to more than 9 crore beneficiary farmer families,” Singh said.
“Leading farmer leaders will share their experiences on various initiatives taken by the government for their welfare. Union ministers, MPs, Chief Ministers and ministers of BJP-ruled States, party' MLAs, office-bearers at national and state level, mayors, councillors will all participate in the programmes which will be observed as a ‘utsav'”, he added.
