The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, representing protesting farmers’ groups, officially rejected the Centre’s written proposal for amendments to the three contentious farm laws, through an email sent on December 16 to the Agriculture Ministry. The response comes one week after the Centre’s written proposal.
The email noted that the farmers’ movement had already verbally rejected the proposal and also communicated it in multiple rounds of discussions. “We want the government to stop maligning the farmers’ movement and stop parallel negotiations with other farmer organisations,” it said.
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The email was signed by Krantikari Kisan Union president Darshan Pal, on behalf of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. It was addressed to Vivek Aggarwal, Joint Secretary of the Agriculture Ministry, who had sent the proposal to the farmers’ groups on the Singhu border on December 9.
The email comes after Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told journalists that the Centre was yet to receive any response from the farmers’ movement.
The Centre had offered a written assurance that government procurement at minimum support prices would remain. It also proposed to amend the three laws to deal with the concerns raised by farmers regarding parity between State-run and private mandis, registration of traders and dispute resolution mechanisms.
The farmers’ groups had vehemently rejected the proposal at a press briefing on the same day. They insisted that the laws be completely repealed.
The negotiations between farmers’ groups and the Centre have been on hold since the last meeting, scheduled to be held on December 9, was cancelled. Tens of thousands of farmers have camped on the borders of Delhi for 21 straight days, demanding repeal of the laws.