Union Agriculture Min appeals to farmers to call off protest, invites for talks on Dec 3

As the farmers' protest against the contentions three farm laws implemented by the NDA government gets intense, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has opened the doors for another round of talks on December 3. The Union Minister's invite comes as thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab and neighbouring states march towards the national capital to stage a demonstration at the Nirankari Samagam Ground. Tomar has also appealed the farmers to call off the agitation in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the winter season. 

Farmers' union had earlier met with the Centre at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on November 13 to discuss the contentious farm laws. Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar represented Centre and had hoped to 'clear doubts' of the farmers before the festive season. However, the meeting which lasted nearly seven hours, failed to provide a breakthrough and ended inconclusively. Following the talks, farmers called-off the Rail Roko Andolan for a period of 15 days but remain stern in their call to protest in New Delhi. 

READ | AAP Makes Food, Water Arrangements For Farmers' Protest At Nirankari Ground In Delhi

As farmers began their 'Dilli Chalo' march on Thursday, dramatic scenes were witnessed in Haryana with the state police firing water cannons and tear gas shells to restrict the protestors. On the second day of the march, protestors ratcheted the action as they clashed with the police at Shambhu, Tikri, Singhu checkpoints. 

READ | Centre Permits Farmers To Enter Delhi To Protest Against Farm Laws Amid Agitation

Centre allows protest 

After attempting to restrain the farmers from marching towards the national capital, the Centre permitted them to stage protest against the farm laws in Delhi. Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police had enhanced the deployment of security personnel, stationed sand-laden trucks and used barbed wire for fencing at the Singhu and Tikri border points (Delhi-Haryana border). However, the police permitted the farmers to protest at the Nirankari Samagam Ground in the Burari area after holding talks with them. Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava appealed to the farmers to maintain law and order and demonstrate peacefully.

READ | Amid Clash At Delhi Border, Punjab CM Urges Centre To Initiate Talks With Farmers' Unions

The row over Farm reform laws

Farmers have been holding protests against the three farm reform bills passed in the monsoon session of Parliament in September. Congress has been contending that the laws are anti-farmers and will impact the concept of minimum support price (MSP). However, the Centre has repeatedly assured that the MSP mechanism will continue to exist even after the new reform laws, moreover, the new laws will give the farmers the freedom to sell their produce outside of the Mandis, as against the earlier compulsion to sell only through Mandis, while having the option to sell through Mandis too if the farmers want to.

With the new laws, the farmers will also have the option to sell directly to private sector entities without being dependent on the middlemen and APMC regulators, while the Congress has contended said that the entry of private entities into farm sector will lead to the farmers being at the mercy of the corporates. State governments in Punjab, Rajasthan have passed laws negating the Centre's laws. However, BJP has contended that the laws passed by the states cannot negate the laws of the parliament at the Centre.

READ | Punjab CM Welcomes Move Allowing Farmers To Protest In Delhi, Urges Centre To Hold Talks