MSP panel: Govt seeks five names from farmers, SKM seeks more clarity
Darpan News Desk IANS, 30 Nov, 2021 12:02 PM
New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) A day after the three contentious farm laws were repealed by the Parliament, the government on Tuesday reached out to the agitating farmers, asking them to suggest five names to be included in a committee to be formed to discuss farm related issues, including MSP.
After making the announcement on November 19 that his government had decided to repeal the three farm laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said a committee comprising representatives of the Centre, state governments, farmers, agriculture scientists and agriculture economists would be formed to discuss how Minimum Support Price (MSP) can be made more effective, how zero budget farming can be promoted, and how crop patterns can be changed in a scientific manner.
There was no official announcement from the government, however, late in the evening, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the consortium of farmers' organisations that spearheaded the agitation to demand repeal of the three farm laws for over a year, confirmed that there was a phone call from the government to a Punjab farmer union leader, wherein it wanted five names to be suggested from the SKM's side for the committee.
"However, we have received no written communication and no details are available so far about what this Committee is about, its mandate or Terms of Reference. In the absence of such details, it would be premature to comment on this issue," a statement from the SKM said.
Till early evening, the farmers' group seemed divided over the issue as sources from the Singhu border camp site on Delhi outskirts - the headquarters of the SKM - sent out conflicting signals.
One of the SKM leaders, Darshan Pal had then confirmed that there was a communication that sought five names for SKM to be included in the committee for MSP. But a number of other farmers' leaders had said there was no official word from any government or political functionary.
The SKM had declared that day that they would wait for the laws to be formally repealed and the government gave a legal standing to MSP.
The farmers had also announced to continue their agitation till all their demands - apart from the main demand of repeal of the three laws - are met. Those demands included withdrawal of cases against all the farmers lodged during the time of the one year plus agitation.
Meanwhile, the SKM has clarified that all its constituent organisations will take stock of the situation and take decisions about the next steps in the farmers' struggle on December 4, as announced earlier.
"The date of this SKM meeting remains unchanged. This meeting will take place at the Singhu Border. In this meeting, there will be discussion on the various points raised in the letter to the Prime Minister and future decisions will be taken," a statement from the SKM said.
It maintained that vague statements here and there as a response to the pending demands of protesting farmers are not an acceptable response or assurance from BJP governments, and that it sought solid assurances on, and concrete solutions to their pending demands.
On Tuesday, the Delhi Police had said that they have busted a Pakistan-based terror module and arrested six persons, including two people -- Zeeshan and Javed -- who were trained in Pakistan.
According to the police, the accused, Raju Chaudhary, who was arrested from Jammu has revealed during the interrogation that Wazir was shot dead on September 3 and four more people were present at the time of the incident. A police official informed that former NC leader, Wazir, was also given sedatives before being killed.
Farmers said the UPPCL sent arbitrary electricity bills and if the farmers failed to pay, they are harassed unnecessarily. The farmers locked the door of the power discom office at Noida's sector 16 and continued their protest outside.
Two Pakistan-based men, including a Pakistani intelligence officer, have also been identified and booked in the case, in which one person was arrested earlier, DGP Dinkar Gupta disclosed on Wednesday.
Reacting to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha's criticism of the remarks he had made on Monday in this regard, he lamented that despite his government's unequivocal support to their cause, the farmers had misinterpreted his appeal and had, instead, tried to link it with the upcoming Assembly polls in the state.
Sample this. According to the All India Rice Exporters' Association, in 2018-19 India exported 951 tonnes but the figure shot up in 2020-21 to touch 33,1571 tonnes.
