Farmers’ protest: No breakthrough in ninth spherical of talks; govt asks farmers to be extra ‘flexible’

In their first assembly with the Centre after the Supreme Court appointed a committee to resolve the impasse over the three contentious farm legal guidelines, the protesting farmer unions caught to their primary demand for a whole repeal of the legal guidelines whilst the federal government requested them to be extra versatile of their strategy and expressed its willingness for crucial amendments.
This was the ninth assembly between the 2 events since December final yr. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Railways, Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, who’s an MP from Punjab, held talks with the representatives of round 40 farmer unions for over 5 hours. The two sides will meet once more on January 19 at 12 pm.
Thousands of farmers, primarily from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been tenting at varied border factors of Delhi for almost two months now in opposition to the three farm legal guidelines. They worry that these legislations will result in the weakening of the minimal assist value (MSP) system. The three contentious legal guidelines are the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.
The apex courtroom had on Tuesday stayed the implementation of the three central legal guidelines until additional orders and introduced the formation of a committee to listen to the grievances of the farmers and the opinion of the federal government.

Despite their talks with the Centre not yielding vital outcomes, the farmer unions stated they have been dedicated to persevering with direct talks with the federal government to resolve the difficulty, whilst a committee has been fashioned by the Supreme Court to resolve the impasse. “Our demands of repealing of the three farm laws and MSP guarantee remain. We will not go to the committee constituted by the Supreme Court. We will talk to the central government only,” ANI quoted Rakesh Tikait, BKU spokesperson, as saying.
Speaking to reporters after the assembly, Tomar stated detailed discussions befell on the talks however they might not attain a decisive stage. “Talks took place over three farm laws in a cordial atmosphere and detailed discussions took place on some issues, but couldn’t reach a decisive stage,” he stated.
“We suggested they can form an informal group of people who can understand the laws better and prepare some concrete proposals, detailing what are farmers’ expectations and what clauses are problematic for them, which the government can consider with an open mind,” the minister stated.
Despite the impasse, the minister stated he was hopeful of discussions reaching some decisive stage on the tenth spherical of talks on January 19.
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar (2R) together with Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal (R) and different dignitaries in the course of the ninth spherical of talks with farmer leaders over the brand new farm legal guidelines, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, Friday, Jan. 15, 2021. (PTI Photo)
Tomar stated he had no downside with the farmers preferring to proceed talks with the federal government even because the Supreme Court has appointed a panel. “Unions want to continue the dialogue with the government and we have no problem with that. The SC-appointed panel will also work for the welfare of farmers,” he stated.
He additionally stated the federal government will current its aspect earlier than the committee panel when invited. An answer can emerge from the government-farmers talks in addition to from the SC-appointed panel’s deliberations, he added.
“Our effort is to resolve the issue through dialogue and we want the protest to end at the earliest given the adverse weather conditions and the Covid-19 pandemic situation,” he stated.
Farmer chief Joginder Singh Ugrahan stated the unions urged the federal government to repeal the three legal guidelines, however the Centre was unwilling to take action. He additionally stated the union leaders additionally raised the difficulty of NIA raids on transporters in Punjab who have been supporting the protests by offering logistic assist.
Baljit Singh Bali of Punjab Kisan Morcha stated, “In his opening remarks, Tomar ji said you keep saying that the government is adamant and making it an issue of ego, even though we have accepted several demands. Don’t you think you should be flexible and not stick to one single demand of repealing the laws.”
Farmer chief Darshan Pal stated there was an excellent dialogue on all three legal guidelines. “There is a possibility of some resolution. We are positive,” he added.
Representatives of farmer unions go away after the ninth spherical of talks with the federal government over the brand new farm legal guidelines, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, Friday, Jan. 15, 2021. (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma)
Another chief Rakesh Tikait stated: “Government has told us that solution should be found through dialogue and not a court. Everyone is of the same view. There is a possibility of some solution.”
PM doesn’t respect farmers: Rahul Gandhi
Earlier within the day, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi accused the Centre of making an attempt to tire out these protesting in opposition to the brand new farm legal guidelines, saying that the farmers is not going to relent until the legal guidelines are repealed.
Gandhi, together with Congress common secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and social gathering MPs, staged an illustration in opposition to the legislations at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in the present day. “The talks are being held only to delay. PM Modi thinks he has the power and will tire the farmers out, but he is mistaken,” PTI quoted him as saying.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi throughout their protest in opposition to Centre’s farm reform legal guidelines, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Friday, Jan. 15, 2021. (PTI Photo)
“Narendra Modi does not have basic respect for farmers. He does not even care if over 100 farmers die. He thinks he has the power and the protesting farmers will tire out after some days, but they will not relent,” he stated.
“The Prime Minister misunderstands, he thinks this country is run by four to five industrialists, who control him,” Gandhi stated, including that the nation is run by farmers, labourers and the youth.
Reacting to Gandhi’s allegations, Agriculture Minister Tomar stated, “Rahul Gandhi’s statements and actions are laughed at within his own party also.”
“The Congress manifesto in 2019 itself promised these reforms and therefore Sonia and Rahul Gandhi should tell us whether they were lying at that time or are lying right now,” he stated.