FARMERS REJECT GOVERNMENT OFFER, ANNOUNCE MORE PROTESTS: 10 POINTS

Farmers’ protest: Farmer leaders rejected the government’s offer to amend new farm laws, saying they would settle for nothing less than the scrapping of the legislations.

New Delhi: Protesting farmers have unanimously rejected the Centre’s written offer of amendments in farm laws, and announced a series of plans to escalate their protest. The plans involve closure of the Delhi-Jaipur Highway, boycott of Reliance malls and capture of toll plazas. By December 14, there will be a full-scale protest across the country, they said. The decision was taken at a meeting after the Centre sent a written proposal laying out a series of amendments, which had been turned down by farmers earlier. The promised measures included written assurance for minimum support prices, allowing farmers to go to court in case of disputes instead of sub-divisional magistrates, and scrapping of the Electricity Amendment bill, which they opposed.

HERE ARE THE TOP 10 UPDATES ON FARMERS’ PROTEST:

1. In a draft proposal sent to 13 agitating farmer unions, the government said it is ready to provide all necessary clarifications on their concerns about the new farm laws. It also offered to make amendments in the laws to address the concerns of farmers in various areas.
2. To allay fears that big corporates will take over farmlands, the government said though it has been mentioned in the laws, it can further be clarified that no buyer can take loans against farmland nor any such condition will be made to farmers.
3. Amendments can also be made so that state governments can register the traders operating outside mandis. States can also impose tax and cess as they used in the APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) mandis on them.
4. At a meeting held at Singhu border before the government’s written proposals came in, the farmers decided that they would continue their protest till the government removes the farm laws. “We do not accept any amendment in the laws, we want total removal,” the farmers’ representatives said.
5. “We’ll strategise in our meeting and discuss their (centre’s) proposal. Farmers won’t go back. It’s a matter of their respect. Will the government not withdraw laws? Will there be tyranny? If the government is stubborn, so are farmers. The laws have to be withdrawn” Rakesh Tikait, spokesperson of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, said.
6. The farmers held an internal meeting after last evening’s meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah remained inconclusive. The minister had repeated the offer of amending the laws, which the farmers had declined. It was the decided that the government will send a written offer today. The meeting scheduled with Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar was cancelled
7. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, however, described the talks as “work in progress”. “If negotiations are going on between two parties, it will be considered work-in-progress. There can be no running commentary on this. It is work-in-progress,” he told reporters.
8. “Be it east, south, north… wherever you go, it’s BJP, BJP, BJP. Despite the opposition’s attack on farm reforms, people are supporting the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” added Mr Javadekar, referring to the Rajasthan local body polls and a string of  by-elections earlier .
9. A team of opposition leaders will meet President Ram Nath Kovind this evening to submit a memorandum on the farmers’ issues. The meeting comes amid talk of a rift in the opposition. A section of Trinamool Congress leaders said the party preferred to stay away from the meeting as Left parties and the Congress are “dominating the show”.
10. More than 10 days ago, thousands of farmers had reached Delhi borders to protest against the farm laws, which they say will shrink their income by doing away with the minimum prices fixed by the government and leave them at the mercy of corporates. The government says the laws are major reforms in the farm sector that will help farmers dispense with middlemen and allow them to sell produce anywhere in the country. At least five farmers have died since the protests began.

News Credit NDTV