Meeting of Samyukt Kisan Morcha panel underway, decision likely on course of farmers’ agitation

New Delhi [India], December 8 (ANI): The meeting of the five-member committee of Samyukt Kisan Morcha began on Wednesday morning, which is likely to take a call on the future course of farmers’ agitation.
The meeting is currently underway.
According to the farmers’ body, the government in its proposal, which urges the protesting farmers to call off their agitation, has asked them to first end the protest and only then cases against them will be taken back.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha has sought clarifications on several points on the proposal and asked for amendments.
Speaking to the reporters on this matter today, a member of SKM’s 5-member committee Ashok Dhawale said, “We appreciate that the government is ready for talks and is giving something in writing. But the proposal had a few flaws, so last night, we sent it back with some amendments and are awaiting their response.”
Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Tuesday held a meeting to discuss the Centre’s response and said that some pending issues still remain unresolved.
Addressing the press conference after the meeting on Tuesday, SKM’s Balbir Singh Rajewal said that they will not accept the government’s condition that cases against farmers will be withdrawn after agitation is called off.
“Government’s proposal says after we end the movement, then only will they withdraw cases. We are apprehensive about it. Government should immediately begin with the (cases’ withdrawal) procedure. Final decision to be taken at tomorrow’s meeting,” said Balbir Singh Rajewal.
Bharatiya Kisan Union’s (BKU) Gurnam Singh Charuni said the Centre should follow the Punjab model while giving compensation to the kin of over 700 deceased farmers.
“For compensation to over 700 deceased farmers’ kin, we want the Centre to follow Punjab model; Rs 5 lakh compensation and a job as announced by Punjab government should be implemented by Government of India as well,” Charuni said.
The SKM further said that they have sent a few suggestions and objections to the government’s proposal on our pending demands.
“The government wants both farmers and government officials should be part of the committee on MSP and other pending demands,” they said.
On November 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre will bring necessary bills in the winter session of Parliament beginning later this month to repeal the farm laws.
The Prime Minister also said that the government will constitute a committee to work on a new framework for Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha passed the Farm Laws Repeal Bill on the first day of the winter session on November 29. President Ram Nath Kovind has also given his assent to the Bill that completes the process of repealing the three farm laws.
The SKM called off a planned tractor march to Parliament on November 29 and said that it would wait until December 4 for the Union government to formally respond to its demands, which it had stated in an open letter to the Prime Minister.
Farmers have been protesting against the farm laws on various borders of Delhi since November 26, 2020. (ANI)