Farmers' stir on Delhi borders to be 'postponed' for now
Darpan News Desk IANS, 08 Dec, 2021 12:53 PM
New Delhi, Dec 8 (IANS) The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of the farmers protesting along the borders of the national capital over agricultural issues, have agreed to the draft proposal prepared by the Central government, and is expected make a "major announcement" on Thursday.
Following its meeting on Wednesday, the farmers' body said that their stir has not ended but it has been postponed for now, adding they would continue pressing the government over the Minimum Support Price (MSP) issue.
A meeting is likely to be held on Thursday noon to decide the further strategy of the movement.
Besides, the farmers have been continuously seeking the resignation of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni over the Lakhimpur-Kheri incident in October this year in which 5 farmers were among the dead.
In the draft resolution sent for the second time by the government, it was said that the government has agreed to cancel the FIRs against farmers in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand with immediate effect. At the same time, there will be representatives of the SKM on the committee to be formed on MSP.
Also, the government will present the Electricity Bill in the Parliament only after discussing the matter with the representatives of the SKM. Besides, the government has also given consent to the farmers on compensation.
After the SKM meeting, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni said: "Agreement was reached upon on the draft proposal sent by the government. After receiving a formal letter in this regard from the government, a meeting of farmer leaders will be held tomorrow (Thursday) in a decision on the suspension of the agitation is likely to be taken."
The SKM continued camping along the borders of Delhi even after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 19 -- along with an apology, announced the withdrawal of the three agriculture laws against which the farmers have been on streets since November 2020.
The SKM has put forward some of their other demands including the MSP issue.
The farmers have also demanded compensation to the families of the farmers who lost their lives during the almost year-long agitation. They also demanded cancellation of the Electricity Bill, while seeking no action against them on stubble burning.
After the meeting on Wednesday, the farmers also were seen celebrating by distributing sweets among themselves.
On Wednesday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal gave permission to the Jantar Mantar demonstration on the condition that a maximum of 200 protesters will be allowed till August 9 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Sidhu sent an invite, signed by some 62 legislators, through working presidents, Kuljit Singh Nagra and Sangat Singh Gilzian, to the 'sulking' Chief Minister to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
In a statement here, Badal said it was condemnable that the NDA government had targeted Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar and the Bharat Samachar group because they had posed tough questions to the government in keeping with high standards of journalism.
In a written reply to parliamentarian Binoy Viswam in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State (External Affairs) V.A. Muraleedharan said during the unprecedented crisis, the international community came forward with offers of solidarity and assistance for specific medicines and equipment that were not immediately available in the country.
With the Pegasus snoopgate leading to ruckus in the Parliament, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday that the news story on snooping was an attempt to malign India's democracy and its institutions.
Slamming the BJP leader for using derogatory language against the farmers, who have been peacefully agitating against the three Central farm laws for the past nearly eight months, the Chief Minister said that it reflected the party's anti-farmer mindset.
