NEW DELHI/BATHINDA: The Centre and farm unions opposed to the new agri laws narrowed their differences with the former agreeing to decriminalise stubble-burning and shelve the proposed electricity amendment bill even though the “core” issues — repeal of the laws and legal guarantee for higher MSP — raised by the unions remain unresolved.
The renewed discussions between 41 farm unions saw some progress despite the bleak optics that preceded the talks. Importantly, the two sides agreed to remain engaged with the next round of talks scheduled on January 4.
Following the Centre’s “in principle” decision on the two “non-core” issues after over five hours of talks, the unions expressed satisfaction, claiming the Centre was on the back foot and the concessions were a “half victory” for them. They are hopeful of prevailing completely in the next meeting and deferred the proposed tractor march from Singhu to Tikri and Shahjahanpur on December 31.
The Centre appealed to the unions to end their stir so that the elderly, women and kids could return home. But the unions decided to continue their protest till their main demands were met.
Farm representatives Balbir Singh Rajewal and Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala said the meeting was held in a congenial atmosphere and they hoped to make the government repeal the three agriculture laws and give legal binding to MSP.
The previous meeting was held on December 5, though the farmers had met Amit Shah on December 8. After that the deadlock persisted as the draft proposals sent by the government on December 9 were rejected by the farmer groups.
“There were four points on agenda today, out of which two demands have been agreed upon. Unions want repeal of the three farm laws and legal guarantee to MSP. The government has been saying that MSP will continue. We are ready to give this in writing. But unions feel MSP should get legal status. So, the discussion will continue on these two remaining issues on January 4,” said agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar after the meeting.
During the talks, Tomar urged the unions to suggest an alternative to repeal of farm laws saying if a viable option was possible, the government would agree on it within 24 hours. Unions, however, continued to insist on repeal of the laws that allow expansion of private trade, contract farming and lift limits on stock-holding.
On the repeal issue, Tomar said this can be referred to a committee which will study the “constitutional validity and propriety keeping in mind the welfare of farmers”. He asked the farmers to put forward their proposals which the government will study and discuss.
The Centre has been clear that scrapping the laws is not on the table even as it looked to offer written assurances on MSP.
Underlining that “both sides need to take steps forward to arrive at an amicable solution”, Tomar told the unions that their demand for an MSP law and the difference between MSP and market rates for agricultural produce would be referred to a committee.
“On MSP as a legal entitlement of all farmers, the government proposed a committee, which they said could also look into the three central farm acts. This was not acceptable to us. We explained about the processes regarding MSP as a legally guaranteed price and a private member's Bill introduced in Parliament with support of 21 political parties,” Kavitha Kuruganti of Mahila Kisan Adhikar Manch told TOI. Kuruganti is the only woman farmer representative who attended the talks.
Besides Tomar who led the government side, railways and food and consumer affairs minister Piyush Goyal, MoS commerce and industry Som Parkash, agriculture secretary Sanjay Agrawal and other senior officials attended the talks. The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere with the ministers sharing ‘langar’ and the farm leaders later reciprocating by having evening tea arranged by the government.
Tomar during the meeting also complimented farmers' unions for keeping the agitation disciplined and peaceful and assured that the government is taking all possible steps for the welfare of farmers.
Explaining the "in principle" decision on farmers' demands, Tomar said since the unions were apprehensive about penalty provision on stubble burning issue in the new Ordinance on air quality management, the government decided to exclude farmers from the ambit of new law by "decriminalising" it.
The Ordinance currently has provision where any non-compliance or contravention of any provision/rules or order/direction of the statutory Commission will be an offence punishable with a jail term up to five years or with fine up to Rs 1 crore or both.
Officials said the government would now exclude farmers from it as far as stubble burning was concerned, and keep penalty provisions only for industries, transport, construction units and others for their respective polluting activities in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas.
On the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, Tomar said, "Farmers feel that if reform is introduced in the Electricity Act, they'll suffer loss in terms of subsidy. Unions wanted that electricity subsidies given to farmers by states for irrigation should continue. The consensus was reached on this issue also".
The government's decisions on two 'less contentious' demands come when the farmers' movement has started spreading to other states including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
"Despite the Uttar Pradesh government's efforts in containing the impact of Delhi border agitation, farmers in the state are gearing up in support of agitating farmers and their demands. As opposition parties such as Samajwadi Party and RLD are not playing active role, the movement is led by farmers at village and Khap levels in traditional form similar to previous agitations which the state had seen during Chaudhry Charan Singh's and Mahendra Singh Tikait's times. If agitation continues in Delhi, mobilisations of farmers from western UP will be picked up in next couple of weeks," said Sudhir Panwar, former member, UP Planning Commission.