Mayawati asks Centre to show empathy for protesters, reiterates demand to repeal farm laws

BSP president Mayawati on Saturday slammed the uncompromising attitude of the Union government towards the farmers protesting against the three farm laws. She called upon the Centre to show empathy for farmers and immediately fulfill their demands. On this occasion, she reiterated BSP's demand for the repeal of The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Earlier, BSP had opposed the farm legislation in both the Houses of the Parliament. 

Read: PM Modi Urges Everyone To Read & Share Content Detailing Farm Reforms On NaMo App

Farmers' unions reject Centre's proposal

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails the provision of contract farming.

On the other hand, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances. On December 9, the farmer leaders had unanimously rejected the Centre's proposal and called for an escalation in the protests until the farm laws are repealed. However, Tomar requested the farmers to mull over the proposal and come forward for talks again. 

Penning an open letter to the farmers on December 17, the Union Agriculture Minister gave them the following assurances:

• The government is ready to give a written assurance about the Minimum Support Price
• The States can be given the power to impose a tax on private Mandis outside the APMC
• The farmers will have the option of approaching the courts in the case of any kind of dispute
• The States will have the right to register agricultural contracts
• No one can capture the land of the farmers
• The contractors cannot make any permanent changes on the land of the farmers
• The contractors cannot get a loan for any building any permanent structure on the land of the farmers
• In any scenario, the law does not give permission for the seizure of the land of the farmers

Read: Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy Tears Up Copies Of Farm Bills At End Of Fast